It all started with the Playstation
by IllegalDayNightSnappingIguana
Summary: When a simple sweep mission goes haywire, the titans find themselves fighting a worse battle than they ever could have imagined four ACCs with mental issues and day to day school life in an AU. [updates on thursdays] [bbrae] [robstar] [cybee]
1. Prologue

-note- i have a plan to stay up all night! while you who are (possibly) reading this is probably reading this with adequite lighting and daytime hours, I am writing this hours earlier, drinking much water. and my water tastes dutifully ucky. and i wish that i could go and get a different bottle but i believe that my mother would wake up and be ticked off at me for being awake at this late hour. if my typing does not already wake her up i will be happy... so that is good, is it not? alrighty then. 

-

**Prologue**

-

_A girl was seated in the wireless cafe, gulping down water every few moments and trying not to laugh too hard at the fanfictions she read, as to not attract too much attention to herself.  
Every few minutes she would hail the waiter, asking him for another water bottle, and he would only shrug before returning with her request and accepting the payment. The girl did this every Wednesday night, the open mike night where most 'goths' came in and shared their dark poetry.. She would come, grab a table in a corner where the reception was good, and drink a lot of water.  
Usually she was just reading, occasionally typing comments on various message boards, but this night was different. It seemed to be after an exceptionally dark poem read by a girl with short-cropped purple hair about the torments of tofu that her eyes glistened, and she got the waiter's attention again.  
"Yes, Winter?" the waiter asked, for this was the girl's name. He felt that he already knew what her next request would be but he asked anyway.  
"All right. I'm gonna need something real strong," her leg was bouncing up and down as if she were pumped on caffeine, "Get me a cappucino - wait - get me a half cappucino and half hot chocolate."  
The waiter was astounded by this request. Winter had once ordered a croissant and nibbled on it every so often between gulps of water, but never anything else. He numbly nodded as he turned to leave but she stopped him.  
"Oh yeah," she seemed to remember something as she drained her bottle of water, "I almost forgot. Could you get me another water?"  
Once he had left, Winter grinned at her screen.  
"If there ever was a time for an ACC, which there never is, why not now? Let's boogie."  
With that remark the girl began to type, hardly acknowledging it when the waiter returned with her order, evil thoughts stewing in her mind as she began her first Teen Titans fanfiction..._

-

"My BABY!" cried the largest Teen Titan as he surveyed the damage done to his... Playstation, "How could this have happened!"

Raven hardly looked up from the book she was reading as she replied, "The quarter-mile drop may have had something to do with it," from her hovering, crosslegged state.

Cyborg put on a cheesy grin as he, embarrased, remembered the events of the previous day. "Yeah - heh heh heh..."

The day before this one Cyborg and Beast Boy had gotten into a fight over the outcome of a match between the two in a game called StarWinder. Beast Boy had won, and the two had disputed that he had cheated. He held the gaming system and waved it threateningly as he was chasing the changeling around the living room. In the end, though, Beast Boy jumped out a window, quickly followed by the nearest thing Cyborg could throw. Little did Cy understand at the time that the nearest thing that he could throw was the Playstation in his hands, resulting in quite a heftly drop to the game system. It had been brought in by Starfire just moments earlier than this.

It was this exact moment (meaning the one that Cyborg remebered the event of throwing the Playstation out the window at Beast Boy) that the green boy turned up. He was yawning (twas morningtime) and his hair was disheveled. He certainly made a big entrance of waking up in the morning, might I point out.

"Good Morning everyone!" he called, making his way past the livingroom toward the kitchen, oblivious of the death glare that Cyborg was sending him, "Does anyone want any breakfast? I'm making tofu!"

The room was silent, and a huge, animated sweat drop appeared on the back of Beast Boy's head. He turned to see that only Raven and Cyborg were even in the room. Raven seemed uninterested, but that was to be expected. The sight of Cyborg was what threw the poor boy off. The mechanical man was seething through his teeth at Beast Boy and it didn't seem to have anything to do with tofu.

"Um," he began hesitantly, "Dude - are you all right?"

Cyborg began to grin evilly, and I mean really evilly - the crazy manical kind of evil that gives nightmeres, at Beast Boy. "You - you broke my Baby!"

For a moment, Beast Boy didn't seem to understand. But then he seemed to remember something, and without any more waiting, ran to Cyborg's feet and began to beg.

"It was an accident! I really didn't mean to do it! I swear I'll help you fix it - even buy you gas - but if only I had known I would have been more careful and I promise I'll never touch anything that belongs to you again -"

"Hol- Hold up," Cyborg interrupted, "What do you mean you'll buy me gas?"

"I've got money - it's the least I can do I'm sorry!"

Cyborg squinted his human eye at the green boy before him, and Raven nearly smirked. "What did you do?"

Beast Boy looked a little nervous now, thinking that maybe it wasn't the T-Car that Cyborg had been so worried about, but he had to go on. "The... T-Car?"

If Cy had been mad about the Playstation, you can only imagine what his reaction to this new development: Sentimental Wimpering Denial.

The tears came out of his one human eye as he sniffled, "My - baby !" But then he seemed to snap out of it as he screamed, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY CAR?"

During this whole time, Raven had been watching out of the corner of her eye, keeping a cursory watch over the two to make sure that they did not get into any real trouble. She did not actually believe that they would, but it always helps to be prepared.

An alarm went off, interrupting Cyborg and Beast Boy's brawl and causing everyone to freeze. Robin and Starfire ran into the living room, Robin from the direction of the training room and Star from the kitchen, and Robin shouted the order.

"Titans! Go!"

And they went.

-

note- okay, so this was just the prologue. Did it suck? I'm sure that you have no idea what's going on, but it's all good. It will all begin to make a wee bit more sense in one of the next chapters. Mhmm... review so that I will have some nice insentive to continue. I prolly will anyway, but it's always nice if people review. Oh yeah. And while you're at it, if you like Spirited Away or Code Lyoko, read my other fics so that I have some nice insentive on those, too. (Although the way that I started those fics is a bit more slow than this one...)

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter One"  
The battle is a quick one as the Teen Titans slash through the large crab-like creatures invading the city. But what was their motive? And why is that girl just standing there on the side of the road?


	2. One

-note- there is no note. only arpeggios and chromatic scales. 

disclaimer- nooo! i forgot this in the first chapter... no, i do not own this show. i will not post this again. the people who own teen titans will not sue me anyway cuz its on a fanfiction site and i'm not even going to bash the titans in this fic, so they wouldn't care. there are much worse writers out there that they would want to track down first, so... yeah. i do not own teen titans.

-

**Chapter One**

**-**

_The girl in the wireless cafe gulped down her water as a drunk would down wine or wiskey. She was not reading fanfictions tonight - no, this night she was ranting on a teen titans forum, under the section labeled "Raven." While doing so she mumbled under her breath... something about monotones and smiling...  
Around 11:14 she stood up and walked toward the stage, a straight, dark look on her face. She was given the microphone and she didn't sit on the stool provided for the artists who read their poetry, but instead stayed standing.  
Beginning in a monotonous voice she stated, "Who here is a fan of teen titans?"  
There was not much responce to this. The audience either thought that she was crazy, or that this was part of her poem.  
"Well then," she continued, "Who here knows that Raven is in love with Beast Boy, only smiles for a very good reason, and always speaks in a monotone?"  
This gathered more interest. Snapping of fingers went through her audience though there were a few boos (probably the RobRave shippers... she thought, twitching)  
"Did you ever notice that in the episode which they played last saturday and I think they played it on monday too - the bunny raven one? Well during almost the whole thing Raven spoke without a monotone, there were RobRave moments, though none of them were quite as bad as others have been, and - and - and - ... she friggen SMILED!"  
A gasp came from a few people as they realized Winter was right. Snaps echoed all around.  
"And one last thing before I leave," she said, still in her monotone, people! "Back to the fact that the RobRave moments in Bunny Raven weren't as bad as others... Someone give me the address to the person who wrote birthmark... Tonight is their reckoning. insert evil laugh here"_

_-_

The titans made their way to the city; all of them flying except Cyborg who had to be carried by Starfire. (Yes, Robin can now fly. He has that little jetpack thingy from "employee of the month", remember?) The call had come from a downtown part of the city, down where drugs were delt in secret and girls couldn't walk alone for fear of being raped. There was always something wrong going on in this part of the city, the gangs and violence saw sure to that, but the Jump City Police could generally deal with it without the help of their superheroes.

In moments the super teens saw what they were flying to fight. A beam of light from an alley just a few hundred feet from the titans and an explosion sound showed them the location, and soon afterwards they were hovering over what looked like giant blue crabs.

There were three of them, and each of them was shaped like a normal crab that you might eat at a seafood restaurant, though each were different. They were all lined up, though it is hard not to be in such a small alley. The one in front was the smallest, and it used razor sharp claws to hack through whatever it was attacking, the one residing in the middle was the largest, every few moments releasing large amounts of charged energy at the walls around it, and the last one, was not, as you might guess, the medium. No, the last one was almost as small as the first one, and shot lasers at the street, creating havoc.

As the teens landed on a roof and briefly surveyed their enemies, they readied themselves. Before any of them knew it, Robin was once again saying those memorable words that caused them to get off their bums, the best known line in Teen Titans history:

"Titans! GO!"

With this they all began to attack. Cyborg, along with Starfire who had quickly flown him down, took the crab furthest to the back. The half mechanical man quickly burst a shot from his sonic cannon at the crab's left foot with a Cyborg battle cry, causing it to stumble. As it tried to regain its composure Star hit it repeatedly with her starbolts from above, not allowing it to stand again. The blue creature faced its attacker over his head and tried to hit her with its laser, but Cyborg took this oppertunity to hit its exposed underbelly with his cannon.

Robin immediately took on the middle creature, which, at the time, was recharging its power to set off another blast. With one of his little yellow disks hitting it on the top of its head (or what he figured to be the head) he got the attention of the beast. (_-note- umm.. I'm sorry but I can't remember the name of those little weapon things i guess..._) It could not fight on its own - it relied on storing its power then releasing it - but if it didn't concentrate it could not recharge. Robin pulled out his bo staff and began to sabotage the machine, side by side, part by part. Beast Boy, after a few moments, ran from where he was fighting the first crab as a tricerotops and banged his head into the side of the machine over and over.

Raven and Beast Boy had set to destroy the first one in line.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," she murmured, her powers picking up a barrel from behind her. It hit the monster from the side, barely fazing it, and she picked up another. While she did this Beast Boy changed from the bird he first was to a lion. He let out a quick roar as he attacked the same place Raven had just seconds before. It began to swing at the changling with its blade arms, and with her new barrel surrounded by black she hit its right arm, breaking it, along with the blade, off.

The green lion quickly morphed into a tricerotops, and charged at the blue mechanical crab from the opposite side. He hit it at its foot and retreated so that it could not swing at him, watching satisfactory as that side of it buckled. At this point Beast Boy noticed that Robin was fighting the middle beast on his own, and quickly charged forward at the other creature.

Dust settling, the Titans saw that they were victorious. Well, most of the Titans. Raven was turned away from her fellow teammates, intent on staring at something in the shadow of the building. When the others noticed this they all, in turn, began to look as well, also seeing what she was. And that thing that they were all seeing was seeing them all back.

The girl steped out of the shadow in a manner not unlike one Slade would use. Slowly, back straight, and eyes strongly staring. she revealed to the Titans what she looked like. Her more pink than yellow strawberry blonde hair was in a single french braid starting at the back of her head and reaching down a few inches below her shoulders, a few wispy pieces blowing here and there. Her eyes were a deep blue and her skin was almost contrastingly tan, though not too dark. She was dressed in a dark red tank top and a gold-silver chrome coloured loose pants.

"Um, hello?" Robin ventured.

She took a deep breath, at which point she closed her eyes, and released it, her eyes still shut. "Hello. Those - monsters - do you know why they were here?"

Raven narrowed her eyes just slightly, watching on.

"No. All we know is that they were creating havoc and we stopped them." As Robin said this the other Titans were still just watching, now unarmed. Beast Boy had turned back into his green human form, Cyborg's cannon had turned back into his mechanical arm, and Starfire now floated between the two barely a foot off the ground.

The girl only breathed for a few moments, and blinked a few times before she responded. "Oh... That's good I suppose." Then she fell over to the right, not moving.

After less than a moment, the Titans rushed forward toward the limp form and Cyborg checked her vital signs.

"Well whoever she is, she's fine," He said, "My only question is why didn't she leave when the battle started?"

Raven was watching, hovering above Cyborg's shoulder, with a grim look on her face. The thought in her mind was, of course, that the girl had really been here to control the robots. She did not say it, though, because it was at this moment that she opened her eyes once more.

"Oh good, you're all here," she said, sitting up, as if they hadn't been there only moments before when she had been awake, "How about I tell you why I'm here? Or maybe I could just show you and let you figure out on your own."

With this she pulled a small remote from her pocket, pressing a large button on its top. The area was engulfed in white light in a second, and the Titans fell, unconscious, to the ground.

-

Tidus'luvr - pickles AAF and go ahead and dance. hehehe... i signed my science paper with apple today. i feel incredibly special.

VeelaChic - woohoo! coffee is good... what kind of coffee are you drinking? cuz you know if you drink half cappuccino, half hot chocolate it tastes REALLY good (though its incredibly fatty and rich :-p) thanks for the review!

xBxMYxJaMeSxDeANzcandyclouds - dude! the way you changed your sn is hard to type! lol. you were the first person to review my storie and your awesome! yay! (and no, i'm not a talented writer but thank you for saying so anyway)

> (annonomys reviewer): no, not the krabs from code lyoko, though i do love that show. thanks for the review!

-

note- okay. i finished this chapter. yay! except i'm really really really bad at battle scenes so this chapter wasn't very good. and i left you at what you guys call a "cliffy". muhahahaha! okay, just so everyone understands: because according to my little scenerio thing that is in the beginning of every chapter i only really do any internet/typing wednesday nights at the wireless cafe, i will update every thursday. as much as i love to post for all of you wonderful people a billion times a day, i have to set a pace for myself to make sure that I get everything done and well. If I post the chapters as I do them I will get ahead of myself and make stupid mistakes that will mess up the rest of the story. So the next chapter will be posted on MARCH 10! Make sure that you come on and read it and review my story to deliver a new impetus to my writing. See you next week!

sneaky peaky- "chapter two" The titans are no longer unconcious, and do not remember being so. As a matter of fact, they don't remember anything about their lives as superheroes. Did the mysterious girl in the alley do this to them?


	3. Two

note- for this chapter and for practically the rest of the story I will be using only the character's "real" names. The reason for this i cannot explain without giving anything away so you will just have to read and find out. but FYI:  
Raven: Raven Roth (is Roth right...?)  
Beast Boy: Garfield Logan  
Robin: Dick (Richard) Grayson  
Cyborg: Victor Stone  
Starfire: Kori Anderson (hehe... i'm very original. lol)  
Bumble Bee: Betty Eddens (umm, i had no clue so I made one up, sort of copying others though. :-p)

-

**Chapter Two**

**-**

_As John, a waiter who had been working at the wireless cafe for nearly seven months now, saw Winter seated at a stool without a laptop to be ferociously typing at, he was shocked. Every Wednesday night from nine till two in the morning the girl had always been seated at the table doing something or another. Tonight, though, she was seated with only a pencil and a notebook.  
During the night he continued to bring her waters, as usual, until his curiosity got the better of him.  
"What happened to your laptop?" he asked a bit hesitantly as he took her dollar for the bottle of fresh water, "I've never seen you here without it."  
The girl responded by simply shrugging and saying, "It's at home. I got grounded."  
This was odd. The waiter had expected her to say something like, 'It's broken,' or 'my pet illegal day-night snapping iguana ate it,' but that was it. Grounding.  
"You were grounded from your computer but not from coming here?" John asked.  
To this, Winter did not reply. She only looked up at him after taking a long swig of her water and asked innocently, "What the heck is the difference between an ACC and an OC? Am I even saying that right? Speaking of which, what do they stand for? I've been on since before the schism, and when I say schism I mean before they separated original fiction into and I've never seen them until they came up just about a year ago or so and I just can't figure it out!"  
If this were an anime and not the beginning of a fanfiction FOR an anime, a huge sweatdrop would appear on John's head or he would possibly fall over comically. Personally I prefer the falling over. So, um, he fell over comically.  
"I...um..." Winter watched John consistantly as he stuttered. "...Would you like another water?"  
With a look at her half empty bottle from judging eyes, Winter nodded approvingly.  
"Yes, thank you, good sir. You certainly are a remarkable boy. I hope you get a raise. By the way, do you think you could tell me what AU stands for?" (insert crickets chirping and more falling over)_

_-_

Raven awoke from the the consistant beeping of her roommate's alarm clock. She allowed it to continue on like this for a few moments until it gained volume and she could stand it no more.

"Will you just shut that thing up?" she whined slightly through her monotone. Her roommate groaned loudly (just load enough to be heard over the alarm) and labourously pulled herself out of bed and over to her desk to shut it off. After doing so she sat down on the chair in front of the desk and heaved a yawn-like sigh.

"Nothing like the second day of school. Eh, love?" The girl drawled this in a slightly british accent. When she had first moved to America to go to school it had been so thick that people often had to ask her to repeat things so that they might understand, but now the edge of it had sort of rubbed off and most people had no problems.

The violet haired girl, who had still not yet gotten out of bed replied, more into her pillow than directly at her roommate, "Winter, go die somewhere."

The girl, whose name we all now know as Winter (I knew of course, and a few people who caught on knew, but now everyone does so get over it) pulled her feet onto the chair, wrapping her arms around her legs, and placed her chin on top of her knees thoughtfully. "You know, I hear Rome's nice this time of year. Would you care to accompany me?"

Raven pushed herself up with her forearms and gradually her hands from the position she held lying on her belly on her bed, into a sort of push-up position(known to my gym teacher as 'the plank'), before she was all the way up on her knees. "Hence me telling you to _go_ die somewhere - as opposed to staying here and dying - I really don't feel like watching your guts disintegrate."

Stretching out her folded form and yawning once more, unfazed, Winter replied, "Oh. Best-mates forever and all that lovely junk, aye?"

Raven rolled her eyes and got out of bed, moving towards the wardrobe (which was, by the way, provided by the school) in which her clothes resided, and began to dig through them in order to find something to wear. Winter, on the other hand, moved towards the other side of the room, to the refrigerater, and pulled out a water bottle. She then moved back to the desk and pulled out a notebook and a pencil, writing furiously in big, sloppy handwriting.

With the desired objects in hand, Raven headed out to the hallway. "I'm going to go take a shower," was all she said before exiting. Her roommate barely "Hm"ed in responce.

Once Winter was sure that Raven was gone and she had written all she'd wanted to in her big notebook, she returned it and began to hum a song which would seem very familiar if you associated yourself with orignial arcade games. It was the background music for level two in the original Mario Brother's game - the level where you go underground and it sounds sneaky enough to be in a spy movie.

And Winter began to spy. There was only a little bit of information that she needed to gather, but the key word there was that she _needed_ it, and Raven would only be gone for so long.

In the dark girl's book bag Winter found a cell phone, which she turned on and checked the phone number list. On it listed about ten names, four of which, thankfully, were ones belonging to her other fellow titans.

_Good,_ she thought, still digging through Raven's personal stuff, _That's one less thing I have to worry about in the longrun._

Next to check was Raven's diary. Yes, yes, this is an invasion of privacy, but Winter had to figure out some things that could not be explained otherwise.

The book which she found to contain the writings of Raven's diary proved to be very helpful, if not slightly disappointing.

_Aw, shucks,_ the red tipped blonde thought jokingly, _Now I'll have to make this a BB-Rae with no prior help. They barely know each other!_

Yes, it was true, the former green boy and empath were not very close here. Garfied Logan went to a different school and was pen-pal's with Raven Roth, but mostly the only time they ever spoke to each other personally was when he came to campus to play video games with his parter in crime: Victor Stone. (Aparently the two used to go to school together, but Victor was transferred into this school with a scholership earned by playing football)

Winter did not have much time so she did her best to rearrange everything back in order to the best of her ability before moving to her own wardrobe and fishing out some clothes to wear for the day. She settled quickly for a light orange tee-shirt displaying a picture of Kagome and InuYasha kissing across the front and a pair of old black jeans. Unlike her roommate who wore black eyeliner, mascara, light coverup/foundation, and purple lipstick every day, Winter was happy with a bit of coverup and lippy.

After dressing she grabbed the notebook she had been writing in before and slumped over to her still unmade bed (which would, mind you, remain unmade) and wrote again. She did not write for long before Raven returned, hair a bit wet and dressed in a purple hoodie and black slacks, a towel draped around her shoulders to keep the drip from her hair off of her clothing.

"It's beginning to ra-a-a-ain," Winter sang the old hymn slowly and softly under her breath.

Raven just raised her eyebrows, throwing a questioning but still an 'I really don't want to know' glance at Winter, and, after putting her towel on one of the hooks on the back of their door and grabbing her backpack (thankfully not realizing it had been tampered with) she stated:

"It's time to go."

and only waited a few moments for Winter to collect her own things before heading out of the room to the cafeteria for breakfast.

The two walked without words exchanged across the cobblestone campus, fit with large, old-looking buildings which seemed to come out of a rennaisance (sp?) scene. It was not a long walk to the cafeteria, which was built right next door to the dorms for convenience, and they soon found themselves walking into the large division of it known as the breakfast hall, and through the buffet lines before locating the table they and their friends shared.

Winter had allowed her dark haired friend (black with a purple tone to it to be exact) steer them towards the table they would sit at, as she was not sure were they would sit, and soon realized, with relief, that Raven was just as good friends with the titans here as they were before. "Hi." was all that Raven said to the others, setting her bag on the floor beside her chair. Winter did the same, save the greeting, which she substituted with a nod to each of her table companions.

Seated at their table were as follows: Victor Stone, who was tall, muscular, and very dark. In front of him on his breakfast plate was heaped plenty of food - nearly all of it meat, and he took as little time as possible to shove it into his mouth. Betty Eddens, no where near as buff or tall as the teen who sat next to her (though you can't blame her - she's a girl and he's a boy. end of story there) but dark like him. Her hair was in two buns on the sides of her head, and she wore a bright yellow shirt. Next to her was Kori Anderson, a tall girl with long red hair held up with a scruncie to make a pony tail on the back of her head, who was laughing a tinkly laugh at something the boys at the table had said, and lastly Dick Grayson, whose black hair was spiked up slightly toward the back of his head and his eyes were covered with tinted glasses. He had hardly touched the food in front of him, which was much less laiden with meat than Victor's, and did not seem to plan to, by the looks of it.

Kori replied to their greeting with a huge smile and a wave, even though they were seated right in front of her. "Hello! How was your night of sleeping?"

Winter, doing her best Ace Ventura impersonation, replied, "Well I had a great night! The question is, how was yours? Alrighty then!"

The redhead, who was truly a redhead and not the fake streaked-redhead that Winter was did not seem to comprehend the joke which went along with the girl's speach. She answered truthfully.

"Well I slept well too! Did friend Winter do all of her homework?"

Raven seemed to be choking on her english muffin. (if I need to explain this to someone then they direly need to move into a less advanced section of this site. lol)

Concerned, Kori immediately turned her attention to Raven. "Are you alright!"

"I'm fine," said she, "I just got something stuck in my throat."

"Well if you need my help getting it - 'unstuck' - I will help you at any time!" Kori seemed determined to help out any friends in need.

"Don't sweat it, girl," Betty intervened as the other two boys sniggered a big in between themselves, "She'll be alright."

Those two other boys cleared their own throats and Dick began, "Well, we may as well get going, classes are going to start soon." He picked up his plate, and, with her clearance, Kori's as well. "See you guys later."

Kori and Victor followed Dick to hand their plates into the kitchen and out of the dining halls after various goodbyes, and almost immediately, Raven's cell phone rang.

Pulling it out of her bag, Raven looked at the name on the screen and picked it up.

"Hi, Gar," she said, as always in her monotone, "No...No...Did you grow a tail?...Then no...Did you die?...Do I have to repeat myself?...No...What time?...Fine...I have to get to class...Bye."

With this she hung up the phone, and without a word to her two companions, Winter and Betty, she threw it in her bag and headed out the door, just leaving her dirty plate where it was. After exchanging quick glances, the girls followed after her, wondering what that was all about.

"Well that was weird," Winter said slightly hesitantly, quiet enough that her roommate could not hear from her pace ahead of them.

"You're tellin' me?" Betty said, "That's the first time I've ever seen her hang up on that guy peacefully!"

-

xBxMYxJaMeSxDeANxcandyclouds: umm... thank you for the support, dear friend:-d lol. band band band band band we shall. muhahhaha (two can muhahaha)

VeelaChic: i also spit on RaeRob! DIE COUPLING MESSER UPPER PEOPLE! yeah. and things like that. thanks for reading!

WeAreCrazyHyperSchitzoGirls: warningly hillary... thanks anyway:-D

renayumi: i updating, i updating:-d i like your stories too so we're even! yay!

animeobsessed3191: I shall continue, and continue I shall. thanks for the review!

rose: no, not slade's little girl, but just as crazy at heart. though not as evil, mind you, she won't end up being REALLY a bad guy... though that's something that you all will have to guess for yourselves before it's over.

lurkindarkness: yay! thank you thank you xandra for reviewing! i updateevery thursday:-d

shadow929: gives a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG hug thank you thank you thank you thank you! you just made my day! that makes the eppy completely worthwhile! (it really does, too) next time it's on I'll have to watch it again. it was on over the weekend but i forgot about it. no matter! thanks for the review!

-

note- oh dear. i put off writing this for SO LONG! When I have a deadline I usually have everything finished way before I have to (for anything not related to school) but this time I wrote this one Wednesday... the day right before I said I'd update. So, um, I'm going to a Taking Back Sunday/Jimmy Eat World concert on April 19! (yay. and there was much rejoicing) I will get backstage... we WILL meet them... creates plan including the dollar store, crackers, a camera, wrapping paper, and a map muhahaha. All righty guys! That's all till **MARCH 17**! (when i shall update next)


	4. Three

**-note-** i forgot to include the 'sneaky peaky' in my last chapter. it wasn't until after I put it up that i realized my mistake and by then it was too late. So this is the next chapter. It's just a little thing to let those of you who are confused to get their bearings and understand what is going on. It's fairly short but then so are the other chapters in this story for some reason.

**Chapter Three**

* * *

_Back was the girl's laptop as she sat in the coffee shop this Wednesday night, and she was transforming some notes in a file on her computer into a fanfiction to rule and confuse all. (like that sentence) While doing this she would occasionally minimize the screen which she was writing on and read some more fanfictions on the site, and chug water. Her normal waiter, John, was doing his best to avoid going to her table at all costs, so she had to stand up and get new waters from the counter herself.  
One of the times she went up to collect more of her delicious (though tasteless) beverage, coming back brought a shock to her. At her table was seated three other girls - all of them wearing some form of black or red, and all of them hyper.  
Yes. Seated at her table were three of her many best buds (though the only ones that shared her on and off obsession with teen titans), Vesta, Rayne, and Emily.  
After hellos and hugs were exchanged, Winter popped the question.  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, finishing the bottle of water which she had first gone and gotten, "You guys never come on Wednesdays."  
Vesta, who was tall with shoulder-length dirty blonde hair and wore all black grinned. "Well I came here because I'm reading a poem about pickles. The others came because they were bored.  
Winter's eyes lit up as she looked atVesta. "_THE_Poem!"  
Vesta vigerously nodded and Emily, who was the shortest of all of them and had long blonde hair and wore a red shirt and black jeans, looked around with attentive eyes, even though she wore a bored expression on her face.  
"If it has anything to do with Teen Titans I hope that you brought Beast Boy as a prop."  
Rayne yawned and shook her head as Emily said this. She was also on the shorter side, but not nearly as short as Emily. Her hair was long and red, and her outfit was all black. "Even if it wasn't about Teen Titans you would wish that Beast Boy was a prop. Actually," she turned to Winter, "I came to see how your story's doing."  
"Well it's doing quite fine, actually, just have to finish this next chapter. Your star appearance, Emily, if I may add." With this she looked at her friends with a smile on her face and shut her laptop, putting it in her bag. "Well I'm going to go get another water. Anyone else want one?"_

* * *

The beginning of the school day went quickly for Winter as she went from class to class using only her schedule, a map, and occasionally another "Titan" to guide her. It was around lunch, while she walked to the cafeteria alongside of Kori, who'd had the previous class (English/Literary Arts) with her, that the noise began to play. It was a melody of the ending theme song to InuYasha, and it just began to play somewhere nearby. It was a few moments before she realized it was coming from her, and it was at this time that Kori commented, 

"I do believe that is your cellular phone, Winter." Kori stopped and faced the girl.

Winter stopped as well and patted down her pockets, searching. She soon found a cell phone in her right-front pocket to be the source of the ringing and the callerID pronounced the name "Emi-chan" for her to see. Without another second to waste she picked it up and waved Kori, who was looking at her curiously, toward the cafeteria, signaling her to go without her. The red haired girl complied and Winter spoke into the phone.

" 'Ello?"

A cheerful voice which unmistakingly belonged to Emily answered, "Hey Winter! What's up?"

"Oh nothing, darlin'," the blonde (with red tips) replied, "Just been getting the feel of things."

By the slight hesitance in the phone conversation, Winter could just feel the sweatdrop coming off of Emily's head across the line. "Dude-don't tell me that the accent's part of the-"

"Of course it is!" Winter interrupted indignantly, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Um..." Emily seemed to be searching for a way to change the subject, which she found. "How's your time with the ex-titans been?"

Winter had no time for plesantries, so she countered the girl with, "And speaking of which, where've you been?"

The question seemed to make the voice across the line happy. "Oh, I'm keeping an eye on B.B. for ya! Never worry, he's in great company with me!" This daunted Winter. The reason for this was Emily's undying crush on the green changling from the Teen Titan's series. If Emily suceeded in making the boy like her back, it would ruin everything she had planned.

Winter sighed, giving up. "Okay." she breathed a few times before speaking again, with a slightly dangerous tone to her voice, just teetering between sane and angry. "Just please tell me that I have Vesta or Rayne for backup or you die."

"Well..." She could tell that Emily had expected this question, but also that she had not been able to come up with a good excuse for it. "Uhhh... you see, mmmm... uh, you just know how Rayne and Vesta love Beast Boy just as much as I do..." Emily put up a very weak verbal fight.

"Don't lie to me, pathetic neandrothol," Winter drawled, annunciating the syllables one at a time, slowly and clearly. Her knuckles grew white as she gripped the phone with surprising strength - it was a wonder it was still in one piece. "You and I both know that they love StarRob a lot better than they love hanging out with a human version of B.B. And Rayne would do practically anything to get a hold of Robin's hair. I have too try to write down everything I can of what four different Titans AND Bumble Bee are doing all of the time and all three of you only have ONE! Do you really want this reality thing to work or not!"

"Um... well, maybe we just wanted to, uh..."

"To, what?" her words sounded calm, but the blonde's face was turning slightly pink in anger. A few passerby were glancing nervously her way and hurrying by before the anger could be directed towards them.

Emily still seemed quite nervous, even though she was on the phone and Winter wouldn't have time to hunt her down anyway. "You, uhm, sort of, become, like, obsessive... when it comes to couplings and... um..."

"Elaborate." The command was short, simple, and to the point.

After a quick growl, Emily replied finally, "FINE! They were scared of your..._side_. Happy?" At this, Winter nearly burst out in laughter. Scratch that, she did burst out in laughter. For the next few moments, all Emily could hear from her friend's side of the line was bubling bursts of giggles.

"You guys stuck away from me because of my obsessive compulsive, misanthropic, mood swing disorder, RobStar, logomania, BBRae, hyper, water drinking, laughing, animality, laughing, anomie, obsessive, asocial, social butterfly, pencil sharpening, computer carrying, notebook carrying, detail obsessive, laughing, mood swing, BBRae, hyper, achiria, RobStar loving, crazy, scitzofrenic, slightly trichotillomania, repeating everything I say a lot of times to confuse everyone, jumping, cataphasiac, decompensation, water drinking, obsessive compulsive, explosive personality, hyperactivity, asocial, socially deprived, social butterfly, obsessive, cataphasiac side?"

Winter began to laugh again and Emily laughed as well, though only in a creeped out sort of 'more sweatdropping' nervousness sort of way.

"Hahahaha...Hohoho okay. Just send one of them over. I'm sure Rayne'll be more than willing. I love the Titans to death but I won't be able to keep track of everything without some help."

"I'll see what I can do," Emily said. "But don't get mad at me if she can't come. I can't make any promises.

An evil grin itched from the corner of Winter's lips. "Oh yes you can, love, and you will."

For a few moments, the two just stood there, listening to the other breathe. "So, Emi-chan," Winter started again, "How did you guys get Ana to put you all together and me alone?"

Ana was another of their friends. One who spoke little, appeared in front of people even less, and was a genius when it came to any sort of mechanics. She had invented the distraction which they had used to lure the Titans to the city (the blue crabs) and, even more importantly, the AUC. AUC stands for "Alternate Universe Control." The few of them had gotten the idea from reading too many fanfictions which were set in alternate universes, and quickly began to plan. They used the idea that dreams, no matter how long they seem, last (at longest) only about ten minutes, and with Ana's skills they had invented something that could pull them all into an Alternate dream-like Universe that they could all be together in. Now with this breakthrough they could invent entire scenerios which the people inside of it could live inside.

Emily answered with immediance. "Oh, lots of stuff. We tied her to a chair, filled her mouth with whipped cream, threatened to cut her hair, to die it purple, lots of stuff."

"You mean that you promised her not to tell me that it was her fault." Winter shook her head, secretly setting a date which involved rope, whipped cream, scissors, and purple hair die.

"No!" Emily cried, "I'm serious! She didn't want to do it so we had to do all of those horrible things to her to make her agree."

Winter shook her head. "You have quite a pathetic imagination. I know that all you had to do was ask her nicely." While she talked she saw a certain dark haired girl walking towards her, so she wrapped it up quickly, "I have to go, but just make sure you send me backup. And have the girls call me."

Emily mocked Winter with a fake British accent-"Aye, mate! You'll have your ducky friend call you any time now! Good day, bugger!"

With no reply she hung up her cell phone and met Raven walking her way (towards the cafeteria).

"So, Raven," Winter said cheerfully to her sullen roommate, "Whad'ya say we get something to eat? I'm starving!"

* * *

WeAreCrazyHyperSchitzoGirls: hehee... yes, tis confusing, just ask me anytime and i'll tell you what's going on. i know that it gets so, though. as time goes on things will slowly unfold to make more sense (i hope).

shadow929: thanks for reading! i'm updating now:P (if you have any more bbrae moments that you are hiding from me, let me know, man! lol)

cRiTic123: yes, robrave shippers should go off intoa corner and suck their thumbs. thank you for your support and i hope you keep reading!

* * *

**-note-** yes, that was a terribly short one. It was to sort of explain what was going on because everyone was confused. Even those who wouldn't admit it. YES YOU WERE, DANGIT! okay. so now you sort of know what's going on, next update next thursday, March 24. Happy reading! Please review my humble story. (oh yeah! and i found the line button thingy!) 

**Vocabulary lesson:**(just so you know what you're talking about before you repeat me)  
Obsessive compulsive disorder: irresistable urges, characterized by checking that things are done multiple times, thinking that they were not done  
Misanthropy: a hatred for people  
Mood swing disorder: often associated with females with PMS, it is when emotions change often, sometimes even moment to moment. Could be happy one moment and mad the next, or vice versa.  
Logomania: excessive or ceaseless talk  
Hyper/Hyperactivity: a disorder characterized by fidgety or excessive activity and a failure to complete tasks  
Animality: the expression of animal behaviour  
Anomie: feelings of alienation and not belonging to society  
Asocial: unsociable or disinterested by others  
Achiria: a fit of hysteria in which the victim believes he/she has lost one or both of his/her hands  
Shitzofrenic:a psychosis characterized by distorted thinking, delusions, hallucinations and a range of bizzare behaviours. Trichotillomania: compulsive hair pulling  
Cataphasiac: repetition of the same word(s) or phrase(s) over and over. Decompensation: psycological deterioration due to long term or severe stress  
Explosive Personality:personality characterized by explosive outbursts followed by periods of remorse

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Four"  
The games begin as Rayne switches into the school with Winter and the Titans. As do the comic falls and sweatdrops. The really strange girls (aka Winter and Rayne) begin to plan the love traps and the plots begin! Will any of it suceed?


	5. Four

**-note**- Greetings! Salutations! Dr. Suess! Umm, as you all know, you are all verily confused at this whole story and are just hanging on because you have to. (okay. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but that's okay) Just stick with me, though, darlin's! Everything will be good in due time! Oh yeah. And I couldn't think of a name for Speedy because if I got it wrong I'd be mad and if there wasn't a real name for him anyway I'd still probably give him one that no one would like…. So I'll just stick with Speedy.

**-note**- also, I would like to mention that I am no longer using html while I write this (because I FINALLY got word installed on my computer) so if some things are messed up I'm terribly sorry. But I'm still just very happy that I got word. Cause its nice and it has spellcheck. Hehehe.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

* * *

_Two girls were seated together, happily chatting as they read fanfictions and their reviews on the site, one of them, Winter, drinking bottled water and the other, whom we have barely been introduced to yet, sipping a frozen latte. The girl that we have barely been introduced to yet was leaning on the table to look at the computer screen, and her pink-blonde hair was falling gracefully across her face. Unlike Winter's other friends who had stopped by, she was not wearing black, but instead loose pajama pants and a purple tank top._

"_You know what really sucks, Ana," Winter said in a slightly down tone, "Some of the people on fanfiction think that we're all the bad guys!"_

_Ana seemed taken aback and she replied, "What!" in a gasp, "We may not be perfect, and I can't speak for everyone but I know that we're sometimes a pain, but I didn't think that we were the bad guys."_

_Winter picked up her water bottle and drank from it before continuing, "I bet it's 'cause I'm just so bad at being an author. It's probably because I have no inspiration and my note taking sucks."_

_With a shake of her head, Ana responded, "Now that's a little bit extreme. Let's just go rant about it on a forum. It'll be fun. And when you put up the next chapter make sure that it's something that helps the readers understand what's going on."_

"_What could I post that makes them understand stuff more?" Winter asked before finishing her bottle._

_Ana looked thoughtful. "Well, you could use Vesta or Rayne's notes for the next chapter… it could be based on what's happening over with Beast Boy. I mean, you haven't put him in since, like, the second chapter._

_With a nod, Winter turned the laptop to face her strawberry blonde friend and spoke._

"_Good thinking. Call up those two's notes - I'm going to go kill John for not doing his job, then I'm going to get another water. When I come back we'll do some hard core writing."_

* * *

After hanging up the blue cell phone, Emily looked up and headed toward her other friends. There were five of them sitting there, on a picnic bench outside of the cafeteria. They had already been on their lunch break for fifteen minutes, as opposed to Winter who was just beginning hers now, and there were three boys and two girls waiting for her.

Vesta, her shoulder-length dirty-blonde hair pretty messy from the wind, sat between Garfield and Achilles. Garfield wasn't very tall, but he was very strange. His skin and hair was tinted green (his hair more blue than green) - a result to a copper spill in the water when he had lived in France. After drinking it a few times his skin had begun to change, and soon after his hair followed. It had made him sick almost to his very death but his parents had saved him. He was very fortunate to have survived, but, due to the chemicals that saved his life, he would be permanently green. He wore blue-jeans and a green shirt, because even though it was part of his skin he still liked the colour.

Achilles, on Vesta's other side, was more fortunate in his skin tone. It was not at all tan, but very light, due to the hours spent in front of the television and the computer playing games with Gar and a few others. His shaggy hair was dyed black and his wardrobe reflected the same colour. On the front of his shirt was a ghost. It was badly drawn but everyone seemed to like it so it continued to stay there.

They were sitting on top of the picnic table, and, on the bench below them, sat Rayne and a guy who liked to be called Speedy. None of them sitting together knew his real name, except for perhaps himself, but none of them bothered to try to find out either. He wore black sunglasses and an orange tee-shirt, and sat, not speaking, with a bemused smile on his face.

Gar and Achilles were fighting over a video game.

"Dude! To get to level forty-seven you have to duck under the moving ladder, race through the hurricane then do a double jump slash back kick-flip to defeat the boss. Then you have to answer the question about the first boss you fought and type in the password!" Garfield was forceful and to the point. Anyone who did not totally immerse themselves to the point of obsession in video games (i.e. everyone else) had no clue what the heck was going on. But Achilles seemed to understand completely.

His tone was low and monotonous but just as forceful as Gar had been. "No, first you have to race through the hurricane and then you knock over the ladder with a double jump slash kick-flip before you get to the boss where you have to outsmart him with your knowledge of the first boss. Then a secret door opens and you have to imitate everything that the guitar dude tells you to do on your own guitar then you win."

Gar seemed taken aback. "I just said that, you moron! Weren't you listening to a word I said!"

Achilles raised an eyebrow and shrugged carelessly.

"Dooooooo-ude! You weren't listening to me?"

"I knew you'd say it wrong." Achilles didn't seem as if he cared that Gar was annoyed.

"But I didn't!" Gar said loudly.

"Yes you did. I heard you."

"But you said you weren't listening!."

"I lied." Achilles stated, simple and short; to the point.

"So what?" Vesta intervened, "I believe him." She was referring to Gar when she stated this.

Gar grinned at his friend seated between Achilles and himself. She grinned back, but only until Emily cleared her throat to get their attention. The only ones who had noticed that she was standing there were Rayne and Speedy, and they had decided to stay out of it all.

Everyone looked at the short, blonde haired girl, who was standing nervously in front of them. Almost all of them were wondering why she was so timid - she was, after all, their friend.

After clearing her throat again, she spoke. "Girls, code purple-blue-red alert," she said first, then, sort of as an afterthought to the grimly spoken announcement, "Yeah… and Rayne? Winter wants you to call her."

Rayne chuckled a bit, finally realizing the cause for Emily's concern. "She figured it out, didn't she?" she spoke this more than asked it.

"Well duh," Emily switched her weight from foot to foot and tried to change the subject - she did not like the stares that she was getting from Gar, Speedy, and Achilles, "So what game are you guys fighting about? I might know the answer."

Garfield seemed more comfortable as they moved back into a topic he understood, and, as Rayne walked away to go use her phone, he said, "Planet Invader! He thinks that to get to level forty-seven you have to duck under the moving ladder, race through the hurricane then do a double jump slash back kick-flip to defeat the boss and answer a question about the first boss you fought and type in a password. But I told him, no, no, no, you have to race through the hurricane then knock over the ladder with a double jump slash kick-flip before you get to the boss where you have to outsmart him with your knowledge of the first boss. Then a secret door opens and you have to imitate everything that the guitar dude tells you to do on your own guitar then you win! And that's the only real way to do it. Achilles just won't admit that I'm right and he's wrong."

Achilles just shook his head. "You're hallucinating."

Emily gave him a fairly blank stare as she sprouted an idea. "Well, why don't you guys just play it? You'll know who's right then."

Speedy spoke for the first time since Emily had come back. "Please. Maybe it'll give us some peace and quiet!"

"You're quiet enough for all of us! The only time you talk is when you're hanging out with the Harrisfield guys!" Gar said.

Harrisfield was the name of the school that the other 'titans' attended, and where Rayne would probably be relocated at any moment. The school that the green boy, along with Emily, Vesta, Achilles, and Speedy attended was called Lemington.

Achilles ignored the comment made by his green friend, and spoke to him about the game. "Okay then, today. After school, my room. Then we'll see who's right and who was messed up. Even though you did already claim to say what I said. So it doesn't matter all that much anyway…"

"Nope," Gar said, after checking what seemed to be a day planner on his fingers, counting off things and mouthing what they were on them, "Can't. I'm goin' to Vic's after school, remember?"

Vesta rolled her eyes and intervened. "Can't you drop that just this _once_? Tell him you're busy!"

Some things that Gar do are weird, which are funny and just a little out there, some are strange, which are just stupid (but still have that funny feel to them), and some are even odd, where you have no idea how to classify it because it is so… just, odd. Normally anything he did could be classified into one of these groups, but the smile he gave at this moment could only be described as… evil.

"Nope," his grin grew wider with more evil feel to it, "I have a date."

Emily, who, like Vesta and Speedy, was a bit tired of her conversation, perked up at the sound of the word "date."

"What - who - huh -?" Emily managed to stutter for a moment before she got her bearings, "Who do you have a date with?"

The smile was now directed completely toward Achilles. "I'll tell you who," the boy said, "Rae."

"You're hopeless, dude." Achilles responded in his normal, apathetic tone.

Speedy had the same attitude toward this. "Really. Who is it that you're _really_ going with?"

"Rae."

"Her name's Raven," Achilles mumbled.

Vesta looked very terribly excited and almost immediately pulled out her notebook and started to write. She, like the other girls, was obliged to get down the details of this historic moment for any future fanfictions.

Emily shrugged her shoulders, a bit disappointed that this would not turn out to be a GarOC experience. Okay, cross that out. She was majorly pissed. But since she didn't want anyone to know she kept as low of a profile about it as she could, and said, "Whatever, can we go eat _now_?"

"What about Rayne?" Speedy countered as Achilles tried to sneak unsuspicious glares at Gar while Gar loved it, "Shouldn't we wait for her?"

"Oh don't worry," Vesta said, closing her notebook, "She isn't coming back. Let's go eat."

* * *

After a brief phone conversation, Winter hacked into the school's computer files and enrolled Rayne. Since it was still the beginning of the school year and everything was hectic as muffins, it was easy to get her into everything she needed to without arousing suspicion. By the end seventh period, the period right after lunch, Rayne was a student at Harrisfield High.

It was the end of that period, when Rayne had finally shown up at the front gate of the school, that they had exchanged their greetings, that they began to talk reality fanfictions.

"Okay," Rayne said a bit excitedly, "First we have to get Rich and Kori together. Right after I abduct him and touch his hair." She shivered jokingly in delight. But even though the shiver was a joke, the delight was apparently real.

"So, love, do you have any particular plans on the matter?" Winter was helping Rayne carry her two suitcases towards the dorm room. She had set her up with a girl who lived across the hall from Betty and Kori so that she would be able to keep an eye on them, and that's where they were headed.

"I don't know…" Rayne thought for a moment, then lit up. They were approaching the building quickly and would soon be inside, but she didn't seem to mind if other people heard; she was using their titans names to identify them. "Okay. We capture Star and hide her in an tall tower being guarded by trolls and a really big fire breathing dragon. And then we do a huge television broadcast and make sure that Robin sees it and it'll say that only the person who loves her can free her, and only with a kiss because she's in an enchanted sleep that can only be broken by true love's first kiss then-"

Rayne was interrupted by Winter putting up her hand and saying, in a bored voice, "then we drug her to sleep until he kisses her, then they all live happily ever after. It won't work, Rayne. They don't have their superpowers and we don't have the time, money, or means to get a hold of a dragon, a few trolls, the tall tower or the drug that will wear off at an exact point. This is a reality fic, remember?"

Rayne seemed thoughtful. "Well, actually, I was going to say that once he got into the room we could abduct her again and make it look like aliens then put up another telly broadcast saying -"

Winter cut her off again. "Just - try to think of something that will _work_, okay?" at this moment, Winter's cell phone rang for the third time that afternoon. She pulled it out and spoke into the speaker. "Oi, Emily… what!…okay…I'll take care of it… Good… Yeah…This is better than I imagined…I'll talk to you later… Bye."

Almost as soon as the phone conversation had begun it ended, and Winter looked at Rayne, smiling a bit.

"Well?" Rayne asked.

"We're going to have to wait a bit to try one of your StarRob plans," Winter explained, putting away the phone, "We're gonna have some BBRae to take care of first."

The redhead standing in front of Winter seemed very confused and lost, so Winter chose to elaborate.

"The two have a date. We didn't have to set them up after all." Winter shrugged and continued to the dorm hall, still carrying the suitcase. When she noticed that Rayne was still a bit hesitant, she went on, "Come on! Let's get moving. We have work to do, and standing out here won't get it done."

Rayne and Winter walked into the building, readying themselves for something that very well may be disaster.

* * *

Tidus'luvr: yes, you do love bb more than life i suppose. i think i'll add that in a later chapter somewhere :-p merci du la review.

Rose: everyone thinks we're the bad guys! (begins to whine jokingly) thanks for the review!

renayumi: don't worry about reviewing. i'm glad you think it's kawaii :-d thanks for the review

WHENICOMEAROUND: i recorded lost last night... but i havent watched it yet so i dunno... so yeah. YOU'D BETTER WATH TEEN TITANS! lol. thanks for the review even if you didn't read it yet.

* * *

**-note**- so I'm getting better at this Teen Titans thing, no? All right, some things are still a little confusing, and some things are probably making you think, "Why is that there?" and stuff like that. But, never fear, I'll tell you my secret: Don't think about it. Just pretend that you are as hyper and crazy and random as this authoress is and you'll be fine. Check out the next chapter on next Thursday, **March 31, 2005.**

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Five"

Well, what do you expect? The next chapter is the video game wars, the date between two people who we all want to see get together, and the craziness, havoc, and the two girls writing it all down. Tune in.


	6. Five part1

**-note**- this chapter began when I just had a random thought about nuns last week. Now don't ask me how it got to what this chapter is about, but all I'll say is that my mind runs off in tangents when I don't pay attention to it… so this is where I say: my, my, darling, aren't we feeling quite ducky to've 'ad a couple reviews? Then just forget about it and keep on randomly typing. So, now it is time to carry on. There will be an open story quiz at the end of the chapter and a couple polls, so make sure you're good at paying attention! Enjoy!

**-note**- (**READ THIS BLOODY MUFFINS**!) There was some confusion as to the Achilles character in the last chapter, and, after conversing with my colleagues (ie Vesta and Rayne) I realized that I had not been clear enough to who he was. To get a clear picture, watch the episode: Sisters. In the scene where they are at the party in the abandoned warehouse, raven says "this party is pointless," when a dark boy comes up behind her and says, "everything's pointless. Wanna talk about it?" This boy is Achilles, or at least the model for Achilles, as they do not really show him talking ever in the series. So now are you happy that you know?

disclaimer- I know that I already said that I was only doing the disclaimer that once, but I must let everyone know that I do not own Goosentaffen or Katie's language (the same thing, actually). I am saying right now, and forever more, IT FLIPPIN BELONGS TO KATIE! So if you wish to use this word, give credit to Katie! Good! I don't own it! And also I do not own Truth or Dare, and I do not own Barbie or GIJoe, and I think that's it.

* * *

**Chapter Five (part one)**

* * *

_As the girl sat at her normal table this Wednesday night she browsed the fanfiction. She had decided to do all of her writing ahead of time this week, because of her early inspiration, and had only to upload the next chapter for her work tonight. Strangely she seemed to be back to her old routine though - no friends sitting at the table, waiting for their turn to read aloud their poetry, none to help her write the next chapter, and no crazy psyche attacks. She just kept reading come good or come bad couplings or writing; giggling and groaning and drinking her water._

_Tonight she was especially dark. Over top of her pale yellow tee-shirt she wore a large, black hoodie and her hair was down. She wore more make-up than she normally would as well. It seemed that less people than normal were giving her weird stares at her strange behaviour tonight as well._

_When John came to collect her empty bottles and give her a new one, he commented on her attire._

"_You seem especially… dark… tonight."_

_Looking up at the boy her eyes glistened as if she were about to cry. John became suddenly very nervous._

"_You see, I'm mourning."_

_Relief flooded through John as he realized this wasn't just something stupid Winter was overreacting about. But then, he was, as the saying goes, "counting his chickens before they hatched," for Winter was not quite _

_as normal as he would think._

"_Oh-I'm so sorry," he said, trying to think of something comforting to say, "What happened?"_

_Winter sniffed wistfully, and looked at him. "Well, you see, it's a long story. But," she paused for a second and regained her composure, "At fanfiction dot net, they've always been such a good site to me… And up until recently everything was normal. And now… oh I just can't say it! It's too dreadful!"_

_John still seemed a bit awkward as he put his hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her. "Yes?"_

"_Well… They used to use the movie system to rate their stories but now… My story's rated K plus!"_

_At this she broke out into a fit of sobs, and John inched away with a comical sweatdrop falling down the side of his head. But before he could get away, he could distinguish one sentence from her heap._

"_(hic)John - can you (hic) get me another water?"_

The afternoon came more quickly than Rayne and Winter would have liked it to. Before they realized it the final bell was ringing its dreaded toll and the two of them were still unpacking Rayne's belongings into her new dorm.

"Why couldn't Anna have just given us super powers or something?" Winter was asking her redheaded companion, "I mean, the Titans have them in the real world, why can't we have them here?"

Rayne nodded her head, looking completely serious and thoughtful, with an almost stoned expression on her face. "Yeah."

After a moment of just staring at each other with the expression that Rayne was carting still plastered on her face, the two just exploded into bouts of laughter.

"But really," Winter went on to say, "If we don't get this done soon we'll miss all the action!"

With a release of a grunt, Rayne retorted, "Or lack-thereof."

Winter rolled her blue eyes and threw the tee-shirt she was folding into the drawer of Rayne's new wardrobe before closing its doors and turning around. "Come on." She stepped around a now almost empty suitcase in front of her and made her way to the door. Rayne's roommate had not shown up yet so they had the room to themselves. "We'll finish this later, then."

The room they were headed to was not in the same building as Rayne's, but the walk was still not long; all of the dormitories on the Harrisfield campus were grouped together.

Even before the two opened the door to Victor and Dick's dorm room (the two of them boarded together) Rayne and Winter could hear the hoots, hollers, and amplified background music and sound effects from behind it. They opened it quietly and poked their heads in to see what was going on inside without drawing attention to themselves.

Dick and Victor had scored quite a room for themselves. It had originally been meant for four people, so it was made complete with two separate bedding spaces (both for two people each) and a common room. This was either for lack of better housing arrangements or a little extra green on their part, but since I suppose that bit of detail is not important to my lack of plot so I will not mention it again. Inside the common room was a large grey half-circle couch and in front of it sat a large (probably plasma screened) television hooked up with gaming consoles, video and DVD stuff and many other additions namable by probably only Victor, who was a genius when it came to anything electrical related.

On that couch was seated all four of the boys; Vic and Gar battling out seemingly nothing important in a racing game, and Dick and Speedy subtly fighting for Kori's attention. The redhead who was seated in between them was animatedly speaking of her home, and the boys would seem excited about what she seemed to say.

Raven sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the two video-gaming boys. Her eyes were glued in front of her to the large television with race cars moving at breakneck speeds, but they were not watching. Her eyes seemed bored and her expression proved to be dazed, as if she were only there in body; her mind far off in the land of imagination. Beside her sat Betty, who also had her legs crossed, but unlike Raven, she did not even pretend to be interested in the game. Instead she held an open notebook on her lap and was furiously doing her Geography homework.

Vesta loudly cheered for her green friend from her seat beside him, a soda in her hand, even though his winning streak was completely nonexistent and Victor was kicking his virtual racing bum. Her eyes turned toward the slightly open door but almost immediately looked away as if nothing was there and she did not want anyone to know that she had done something stupid.

Winter turned to her companion and put her finger to her lips, signaling quiet and they both, as if planned, dropped to their hands and knees. After sneaking in and shutting the door behind them as quietly as possible, they crawled across the blue carpeted floor as stealthily as possible. The blonde and red haired girl had to scold herself many times as they went not to begin to hum the James Bond theme song, and the two of them stopped when they were behind the center of the half moon couch.

"Okay," Rayne whispered, "What's the plan?"

Winter grinned a goofy grin and was silent for a moment. And then was silent for another. This loop of events was broken when she whispered back, "We jump out really fast and yell "hi" in Katie language."

Katie language is not a set language. To be a language something must have set rules for grammar and at least enough words to have an intelligent conversation. Katie's language has neither, and most people don't even know all of the few words in her language. So it was only natural that Rayne didn't either.

"Which one?" Rayne said, still quietly.

Winter leaned over and whispered her response of the word directly into Rayne's ear, and they both exchanged thumbs up signs to say that they were good.

"On three," Rayne said, as she crouched in a ready stance, "One," Winter crouched as well, down low on the balls of her feet. It was taking every ounce of self control she had to control the laughter bubbling inside of her. "Two-"

The count was interrupted as a grinning face reached over the back of the couch. Dirty-blonde hair framed the face that was almost immediately identified as Vesta's.

All of the work that Winter had put into holding in her laughter was wasted. Without even a word from anyone she burst out laughing. Before even a moment had passed Rayne and Vesta had joined in with her and they just sat there, laughing for no apparent reason.

To the others in the room, Vesta's antics would prove to appear adequately strange. She was leaning over the edge of a couch, and laughing at absolutely nothing with what sounded like many voices. Vesta was known to be loud sometimes but not quite this loud.

Large beads of sweat appeared on each an every other head in the room as they turned toward Vesta. Dick spoke first.

"Um, Vesta?" When the question was spoken all laughter came to a sudden halt and the dirty blonde haired girl sat back down, face looking contentedly at the television screen as if nothing had happened.

"Yes?" she replied in a light and fluffy tone as if he had not just asked her a question in a tone that implied a lack of sanity on her part.

Two figures jumping up from behind the couch at that very moment interrupted the uncomfortable conversation between Dick and Vesta and the silence from the others watching. Vic and Gar's video game was still running, and it seemed like both of them would be getting a low score this round. As they jumped up they yelled "Goosentaffen!" before they could be identified as Rayne and Winter. Their sudden appearance brought a high pitched screech from the throat of Gar and a gasp from Victor and Kori, but Raven simply rolled her eyes, Betty shrugged and returned to her homework, and Dick and Speedy sat stock still, watching the scene.

"Let me guess," Raven asked first, "German?"

Vesta intervened by holding up her last two fingers. The gesture would seem as if she were trying to proper by holding up her pinkie with the exception that she also held up her ring finger as well. "Goosentaffen!" she said as if it just explained everything, "It's Katie language."

The following conversations and/or actions are just boring "how are you doing," "what are you playing" "blah" conversations so I do not believe I feel obliged to write them down, type them up, or make you read such hideous material. So I will just skip to about ten minutes later, at which point Rayne has made her way to sit next to Kori, Dick, and Speedy, and Winter has now sat herself down with the little group in front of the television except on the floor with Raven and Betty.

"I used to play Barbies!" Winter said, laughing, "We never had enough guy Barbies, though, so we'd always use, like, one of my brother's GIJoes or action figures."

Raven shook her head with a slightly bemused smile on her face. The three of them, Winter, Betty, and herself, had long since abandoned watching Garfield and Victor racing their virtual cars against each other on the television and were now talking about the most random thing - activities they performed when they were wee lasses. "I never enjoyed them," she said apathetically, her nearly violet hair falling into her face, "Everything about them is fake and they are out of proportion."

Betty shrugged at Raven's half-hearted addition. "When I turned nine I used mine as wiring for some device I'd made. Their insides had metal so it sent the electricity to where I wanted it to go and their outsides are made of rubber so it didn't catch anything on fire."

"Does everything you do have to do with electricity?" Winter asked.

"No, it's just a big hobby," Betty was grinning when she said this, "That I use with everything."

Winter grinned back before looking up at the ceiling in a thoughtful manner. "I gave most of mine makeovers. Now I have Goth Barbie, skater Barbie, ghetto Barbie, all under my bed."

Raven raised an eyebrow to this last comment. "How'd you manage that?"

Eyes going wide with a sort of reminiscing goofy happy expression on her face, Winter replied, "I sewed them all new clothes and tattooed makeup on their faces with paint. It was fun."

After a moment of still staring happily Winter began to laugh again. You will find that this girl has a bad habit of laughing at completely random moments, some being appropriate and some inopportune. This was just a random moment with no good or bad about it.

Vesta released herself from her perch beside Gar on the couch and moved onto the floor with the other girls. It seemed that everyone was just having a normal day and the girl was getting bored, so she decided to try and find something more interesting to do.

"So Rae," Vesta said as Winter began to quiet herself down, now laying on her back, "How'd Gar get you to come?"

Sometimes Raven can get angry, other times she just blows things off. Sometimes, like this, she just becomes slightly irritated. Her eyes narrowed into smaller slits and any traces of smiling that had graced her lips before could no longer be found.

Before any words could be spoken and probably so that no fights could break out, Betty intervened. "You know what else I used to play?" she was trying to move the attention of Vesta and Raven towards her. "Truth or Dare."

Winter sat up at the sound. "How did you play?"

The dark girl looked at her a bit strangely and replied, "Uh, by asking truth or dare and then either making them do something in dare or making them tell you something in truth?"

"BLOODY HELL!" Winter's outburst caught a couple people's attention outside of their 'group' for a moment, but she was not interesting for long as they all turned back to whatever it was that they were doing. "You never played it the _good_ way?"

Betty scratched the back of her neck and Vesta and Raven, seemingly forgetting their little clash, watched her, "I didn't know there was one."

Eyes big as saucers, Winter stood up suddenly. Vesta feared for her life. Betty feared for Winter's sanity. Victor feared for his score.

"Hey!" he complained loudly, "Sit down! I'm gonna beat Gar!"

Winter turned to the dark skinned, very buff boy sitting on the couch and said, slightly as if she were insane, "No…"

Rayne spoke up, "Um… Winter, what are you doing?"

"We're going to play a game."

Vic was still annoyed at her standing in front of the screen. "But we're already playing a game!"

"Oh, shut up," Betty said to him, still worrying that if she didn't let Winter speak that the girl would go crazy - literally. "Just let 'er talk."

Neither Vic nor Gar were happy about it, but they pressed the "start" buttons on their controllers to pause the game and looked anxiously at the blonde and red haired girl, who's face was more relaxed now and she seemed more like a commercial person than a crazy woman.

"Well, I've just been informed that you guys haven't played the real version of truth or dare." The faces on everyone in the room were blank, "So I am going to teach you how."

"No thank you," was Raven's immediate response as she pulled a book out of her bag and began to read it.

"Oh come on, Rae," Gar whined and came inched down onto the ground so he was sitting beside the pale girl and said quietly behind his hand so only she would hear, "If we all have to play you do too."

Raven rolled her eyes and closed the book once again. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, but everyone took this as her consent.

"So how the game goes is, you ask the person 'truth, dare, double dare, promise to repeat, asparatuckle, fire house, bottle." No one interrupted her, though a few faces looked a little bit confused, and she continued, "For truth and dare it is the normal rules. You get asked a question in truth and you get dared in dare. If you don't want to do the truth or dare then the person who picked you gets to choose another category and you have to do what you have to do in that category.

"Double dare's the same as dare except anything goes. You can be dared to do absolutely anything without hurting someone or anything too extreme, and you guys pro'ly know what I mean. If you don't do the double dare then the person who picked you can only make you do asparatuckle or bottle.

"In promise to repeat you have to say exactly what the person tells you to say to whoever they tell you to say it to. You can't back down from it. In asparatuckle-"

Winter's speech was interrupted by Raven raising her hand and speaking, "What is the choice if we don't want to play?"

"There isn't one, love. Now where was I? … Asparatuckle means that you have to eat whatever concoction that the rest of the people make for you, and by the way the rest of them you can't back down from.

"In fire house you get a choice of two scenarios, and you have to act out one of them. It's sort of like having two dares and being able to choose from them but you have to act them out as if it were real life and not a dare. And lastly, in bottle, it's just like spin the bottle. If you're a girl then all the boys sit in a circle and you close your eyes while they move around and you spin the bottle, and vice versa. Any questions?"

Kori asked the first question. "So, if I would like to become an actress I pick dare, and if I -"

Betty intervened. "Maybe you should have printed a cheat sheet with all the rules on it."

"We'll just remind you if you get confused," Winter shrugged, "You guys ready to play?"

Exchanges of looks throughout the room and no objections proved to the girl that everyone was ready.

"Okay then," she scanned them all then her eyes landed on someone, "Speedy. Truth, dare, double dare, promise to repeat, asparatuckle, fire house, bottle."

Being the first picked did not seem to faze the boy, but it was apparent that he did not catch everything about all of the categories besides just truth or dare, so he went with something easy. "Truth." He said as he shuffled his position beside Kori.

"Okay, now everyone besides Speedy come over here and we'll come up with something good." Kori and Dick reluctantly made their way over to the other teens and they immediately struck up a quiet conversation. Within moments Winter looked up at Speedy and told him his Truth.

"What is your real name?"

Speedy looked incredibly shocked and he did not seem to be able to speak for a moment. "Uh-uh-um…"

"Yes?" Winter asked, seemingly amused.

"Pass."

A joyous grin spread across Winter's face and she turned to Gar. "Do you have access to an overly large jar of pickles?"

Strangely, Gar did not seem as if this was an odd question. "I could if I tried hard enough. Why?"

"Because if someone refuses to do a truth, the person who'd picked them gets to choose a different category for them to be under. And I think that asparatuckle is as good as any, don't you think?"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

Gubba-Gubba: thank you thank you thank you v. much for the giant hamster (lol!) thank you for reading my story it is always great to get reviewers!

Rose: Achilles is "everything's pointless dude." For more information scroll up to the top of the story and read my second note. Thanks for the review!

Tidus'luvr: I heard about the chuck e cheese thing from Katie. Oo this is going to be a fun chapter to write! Email me if you have any more ideas, please!

Fevered Dreams Cannot Login: (I'm guessing that when you said "fevered dreams cannot login" you did not mean for that to be your whole screen name but I'm strange like that) thank you for reading my story! I hope you read it in the future!

Serve the Abbalah: As long as you are not a rob/rae fan I think I can be your friend. Lol. Thanks for the review!

* * *

-**note**- ummm… I cannot guarantee that the next chapter will be on time, but I will do my best; I do have a study hall that day but I also will be spending all of next week's waking hours either in school or sleeping (with an occasional youth group floating around in there) because of the upcoming play; guys and dolls, that our high school drama club is putting on… I have to help with the set! So I'll PROBABLY update on **April 7.** See you (hopefully) then! And thank you, Vesta, for giving me the pickles asparatuckle!

(QUESTIONS TO ANSWER IN YOUR REVIEW) ((ANSWER THEM!))

1. What was the first thing I thinking about when I got lost in a tangent and got the idea for this chapter?

2. What religion/faith do you believe most strongly in/participate in?

3. In the prologue of this story, someone is reading a poem at the time that Winter decides what she's going to do for her fanfiction. What is this poem about?

4. What is your favourite coupling? What coupling do you want to see more of in future chapters?

5. Which of the following episodes is 'everything's pointless' dude (also dubbed by me: Achilles) not present in:  
A. Revolution  
B. Can I keep him?  
C. Episode 257-325

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Five (part two)"  
Based on a slightly different point of view, it begins with Speedy, Dick, Kori, and Rayne and their conversation. Then how goes the wonders of truth or dare? I hear that it will be good from very reliable sources. I think you'll like it too.


	7. Five part2

**note**- so terribly sorry am I for the wait. Just to let you who wanted to kill me know, I have already been threatened (lol) by my real life friends so don't worry! As usual, I am writing this on Wednesday, but for some reason, even though I love this story, I don't want to write it right now. I want to be evil and write a one-shot about raven and robin (NOT AS A COUPLE! Grrrrr… stupid robrae….) and how they UNDERSTAND each other (notice I said understand, not love) so I'll probably write that as soon as I finish this chapter prays PLEASE LET ME FINISH IT ON TIME! Ugh.

**warning**- READ THIS! There is some good mushy and some bad mushy. There are some good couplings and some bad implied couplings. But never fear, all will come to goodness gracious by the end of the story! I refuse to have bad couplings and I will fight it out with myself for however long it takes to make everyone (meaning me) happy.

* * *

Chapter 5 (Part II)

* * *

_Across from Winter sat a girl with long blonde hair, probably often forgotten by all of my readers. Her name was Emily, and, as she sat with her writer friend, she was complaining.  
_"_Why haven't I been in the story?" she asked indignantly, "It's been, like, two chapters or something! And what the heck took you so long to update!" Above her head could be seen annoyance marks.  
__Winter shrugged and continued typing, ignoring her friend. But she was persistent.  
_"_Well?" she asked, enforcing her question.  
__With a sigh the girl looked up at her friend who appeared to be seething, and answered in the worst way possible. The long way.  
_"_Every day last week I was at the school until at least eleven o'clock working on Guys and Dolls. In English, on top of that, I have had to write a short story, which I was planning to write a novella for but could not finish because of that darned play, so I wrote an angsty story about Labour Day, and I had to create a third quarter portfolio, which I didn't even finish to perfection because the stupid school printer took a whole period to print out My Girl correctly, and all of that was due this week. Also I have been having strange urges to write a story about Robin and Raven. Together, but not as a couple, mind you."  
__Emily seemed to have protested about what she'd said about Robin and Raven.  
_"_You don't believe me, do you. Well if you think that I don't have the integrity of a BBRae fan than you can just go on my computer and read all of my rants."  
_"_Really?"  
_"_No."  
_"_So can I be in the next chapter?" Emily was hopeful.  
_"_Were you there when it happened?" Winter was not paying much attention to her friend.  
_"_Come o-o-o-o-on!" Emily whined characteristically, "You can just add me on as a side story!"  
_"_Go, slave,get me a water."_

* * *

Rayne watched nervously as Speedy shot each and everyone in the room a glaring look as if he would not have been in this position if it were not for them. In his arms he held a large open jar which had the words "Kosher Dill" on the side label of it. He was pulling out the pickles one at a time, giving each one a disgusted look before looking up and giving the room one too, and eating them. He would release gagging noises and sour looks every so often, and while most of the room was not paying attention, Rayne did not want him to kill her later.

Beside her, Vesta watched excitedly as the spiky haired boy, so similar to Dick that it was almost stalker-freaky, and occasionally asked him if she could have one of the pickles. Winter would then turn her head towards her friend and remind her that the asparatuckle had clearly stated that he had to eat the whole jar, plus the pickle juice, and that would shut her up for a few moments.

By the time Speedy had completed his jar and it lay, empty, on the metallic blue rug beside him, the television had been turned back on by Victor and Garfield and they once again were racing against each other, though this time they were watched by more of the room.

Speedy stood up to get all's attention, and faced Winter. He looked a little bit green under his sunglasses, and he spoke to the blonde and red haired girl a little bit defeatedly. "What happens next?"

The way he spoke it was almost as if he had sealed his fate to some horrid cult and he willingly went along with it. I, personally, would not call Truth or Dare a cult, but with the look on his face it very well could have been.

Winter grinned widely, almost like one of those pictures of chibis where the character's smile takes up over half the face and they're giving a peace sign, though the girl did not hold up her two fingers now. "Now you pick someone else." She turned her body toward the boys on the gaming console and spoke to them, "Come on, guys, it's time to play."

Garfield immediately showed his big green eyes as wet and soppy as he could to make him look sweet in a begging way (AKA puppy dog eyes) but Victor just rolled his eyes at his off-coloured companion and pushed the pause button on his controller as he had earlier so that they could resume it as soon as they could. Everyone's eyes asked the same question to Speedy as he looked at each of theirs; "Which one of us will you decide to torture?"

He looked at Rayne briefly but passively, though his gaze did land on Winter's for a few moments as if he were seriously considering choosing her, but then he looked at Vesta and hesitated no more. It was almost as if her reminding him that he had to eat the whole jar by asking him for a pickle was too much, and he said her name.

"Vesta."

The girl's eyes lit up, if they could be any more lit up than they were, and Winter recited to choices for her.

"Truth, dare, double dare, promise to repeat, asparatuckle, fire house, bottle."

Without more than a moment's hesitation, Vesta replied, "Dare!"

An evil thoughtful look came over Winter's face as she seemed to get an idea. Everyone else in the room leaped into a huddle, even Speedy who seemed to be ready to get some revenge, and even Raven, though she looked pretty bored with the whole idea of the game. Rayne listened as they exchanged whispers of the horrid things they could make her do, including but not limited to, unimaginative things such as kissing fellow people in the room and going streaking.

"No, no, no," Winter whispered, "Dare is something easy, so streaking wouldn't work, and to kiss someone it has to be bottle!"

"Well you think of something better," Speedy said, annoyed that his idea, making her go into the laundry room and take someone's underwear out of the drier and put it on her head, had not been used.

Rayne seemed to get excited really quickly and she began to talk in unhesitant whispers. "(Gasp) We could make her…" she said the rest in such a low voice that only those in the circle who were closest to her could hear.

After her idea was spoken, everyone else seemed to like it too. Well, Raven didn't like it, but then we all could agree that parts of it could be torture. Since Speedy had picked her, he was the one who turned to Vesta and told her what her dare would be.

"Sing I'm a little teapot, Britney Spears style." With that said, Winter and Garfield both pulled out guitars from God knows where and began to strum. When it came the time, Vesta began to sing the following to the tune of "Hit me Baby one more time," a little off key but having what seemed like the time of her life while Rayne sang all of the parts in parentheses. (on key, but looking like she did not like the style she was singing. She personally preferred less poppy music, but then, who didn't?)

"Oh baby, baby

How was I supposed to know.

That your tea was ready

Oh baby, baby

but I didn't let you kno-o-o-o-ow

Come on, you should have told me

That you didn't like lukewarm tea

Tell me baby 'cause I need to know soon oh because

I am so short, I am so stout (am so stout)

Here is my handle and here's my spout (here's my spout)

When I get hot oh how I YELLLLL (how I yell)

IM A LITTLE TEAPOT YEAH!"

The two guitarists ended on the same note, miraculously, and sweatdrops emanated over heads all across the room.

"Dude!" Garfield explained, his guitar no where to be seen (as well as Winter's), "That was awesome! I didn't like the original song but this one rocked!"

"Man, how long have you guys been planning this thing?" Victor asked with a weird expression on his face.

Vesta tried to count on her fingers, though if she were counting seconds, minutes, hours, or days, we didn't know, because her thoughts were interrupted by Raven who looked… perturbed.

"That was…" She seemed to be trying to find the right words to describe it, "disturbing. And to add to that, I think you need vocal lessons."

Rayne looked at the almost violet haired girl in surprise, "I thought that we sounded pretty good together."

Raven shrugged at this girl who she hardly knew, and said simply, "It wasn't you who I was talking to."

Winter was what brought everyone back together. Betty was sitting cross legged again, a different textbook now on her legs, and Kori and Dick seemed to be staring off into space not paying much attention since their last powwow to figure out what the next dare would be. So as the partial blonde spoke, they looked up.

"Okay, now pick someone else."

Vesta immediately pointed at the spiky black haired youth sitting on the couch beside Kori, who's eyebrows raised above his sunglasses. Probably not wanting to hear Winter speak the long list of choices again, he answered before the question was asked. "Dare," was all he said.

"No elaboration!" Rayne whined a little bit but joined in on the conversation of Dick's demise. Victor and Garfield came up with a good idea almost immediately, and it involved McDonald's and insanity. Before a few moments were up, Vesta had spiced up the idea with Rayne and the dirty-blonde haired girl was facing Dick who now sat alone on the u-shaped couch.

"I dare you," she said with great exclamation and flourish, "to go to McDonald's and run around the store three times yelling 'I'm a little bird-boy wonder' in green spandex and a towel wrapped around your neck like a cape. Then you have to order a Big Mac and walk out like nothing ever happened."

Dick hated to back down on dares. On anything for that matter, but this was just ridiculous. He hated being so weak; just as weak as Speedy had been only minutes ago, but he said the one word almost immediately to end it, and Rayne was disappointed in his cowardice.

"Pass," he said with a sigh. "What do I get now?"

Vesta did not even communicate with her peers on this one, she simply said, "Bottle!" with oomph and a big grin plastered across her face.

Rayne shook her head. She should have seen it coming. If she weren't one of the females in the room who had to sit in the circle while her male friend twisted the bottle she would have laughed.

While the circle formed around our favourite raven haired guy, Dick began to look a little nervous. Why oh why did he have to do THIS of all second chances? The spandex was looking very tempting right now - not that he would mind if the bottle landed on Kori - but that was another story.

(-note- close your eyes all of you RobStar fans. This is killing me to write so it will probably kill you to read. gulp :hides from killer RobStar fans: )

Of course, since this is real life and not a perfect Dick kiss Kori, Gar kiss Raven and Victor kiss Bee Truth or Dare, you can only guess who the bottle landed on. When the boy lifted the mask which covered his dark glasses, he stared in disbelief at where the bottle had landed.

"Raven, I am so sorry," he said, looking knocked out. The same effect was coming from the stony faced girl across the circle; the person who the bottle had landed on.

Yes, Raven had been chosen by the bottle to be kissed by our alternate universe boy wonder.

They had all been sitting in a circle, well, all of the girls and Dick that is, and most of them stood up now (with the exception of Rayne and Winter, who were looking at the bottle bug eyed and hyperventilating, and Vesta who looked like she may cry out any moment of the unfairness of the universe). Dick immediately strode up to Kori, and whispered something into her ear. Probably an apology, and maybe some words of comfort for the red head who stood looking like she may break into steam any moment. Victor and Garfield sat on the couch, both in almost disbelief at the scene before them, and Bee was mostly indifferent. Speedy was a little more excited, possibly hoping that this would give him a better chance at Kori, but tried to look as neutral as possible.

After leaving Kori's side, Dick strode over to Raven and, once again, said, "I'm sorry, Raven," to the girl who just stared forward. She was also standing, but she seemed more pale than usual, and something flashed behind the fear in her eyes - probably malice and the will to murder just about everyone in the room.

:We interrupt this program, which has become too innappropriate for our viewers (well, at least our readers who have good sense) to view, to let us watch a cheetah.

shows cheetah running

Now, do you see its smooth coat and beautiful white teeth as it -

shows cheetah pouncing on prey

O-o-o-okay, now this program has also become too innappropriate for our viewers to view, and I think that we have spent enough time that we can make our way back to Victor and Dick's dorm room:

Dick had just picked Victor to go, but the big, dark skinned boy, picked the easy way out.

"Promise to repeat," he said.

Vesta, Rayne, and Winter, were having a conversation as far away from everyone else so that no one could hear them.

"This - was - a - bad - idea," Rayne said, almost hyperventilating as she had earlier.

Winter looked as though she may have exploded into insane-worthy screams at any moment, and she could not reply immediately. While she tried to get herself together, Vesta spoke, "I know! I'll never get that out of my head!" she shuddered at the thought and tried to shake it off.

Turning her head to Vesta, Winter managed to eke out, "I suggest - just - like - never pick something like that for Robin and Star ever again. Or I'll - like - grr." She could not complete her thought because Bee was excitedly calling them.

"Hey, girls, come on!" she beckoned to them and they come, even though they, at the moment, were not very interested in the game after what had happened just a couple minutes ago. Star and Garfield seemed to feel the same way, but they were getting over it a lot quicker than the three girls were. The only one of them, besides Winter, Rayne and Vesta, who looked like they would be mentally scarred was Raven. She and Robin had been almost like brother and sister since they'd met; both brought together by their tragic pasts and problems, but the whole bottle tragedy made them all seem venial. "Victor's got to go and put himself down in front of a girl!"

So they had picked the promise-to-repeat without the veteran truth or dare player, Winter, which seemed pretty promising. The three girls, though still mentally disturbed and dying of visions that only a RobRae fic or episode or real life experience could leave, but they also couldn't wait to see how badly Vic was going to have to be burned by his promise-to-repeat.

On campus there were a lot of pretty girls, and many of them were drooled over by the hottest football player on the team, Victor (eww. I can't believe I just said that). So many of them liked him back, but even though he was incredibly macho, he could never seem to get them.

So it seemed like such a waste when Dick pointed out the girl which he had to talk to.

"-and make sure you say it EXACTLY how we told you to," he said before giving Vic a little push toward Kat Trangles ( this person is not in the series. Nor do I know her in real life. She's just here), a cheerleader and someone who the big African American had been thinking about every so often when he saw her. This would ruin his chances with her for sure, but he could not back down like Dick and Speedy had - no - he would go through with it exactly how he had been told he had to.

"Hey Kat," he said, approaching the preppy blonde standing in front of him (..resist the urge to comment… RESIST!) with the macho airs he often held around women.

"Oh," The girl said, her eyes immediately lighting up, "Hi! What's up?"

Victor seemed incredibly embarrassed. As discreetly as he possibly could, he passed a note to her and whispered the words "read it," before he did his dare.

"I am a sissy girl," he said simply before turning around and walking back to his friends who stood nearby under a tree. A couple of them were sitting, while Dick leaned against the dark bark, and the rest stood.

"That was awesome!" Winter exclaimed, her accent almost obliterated for just a few seconds to say the phrase though it came back when she continued, "Now you have to pick someone."

Rayne could clearly see that Victor was resisting the urge to just pick Winter and try to burn her as hard as he could for starting the game in the first place, but then his face turned towards the group of teens who had actually been involved in the planning of his embarrassment. (eenee meenee mynee moe…)

"Raven!" he said, pointing to the girl who sat on the ground in front of the tree, legs crossed Indian style and her hood hiding her face from the afternoon sun. Her expression was pretty blank, but there was a nervousness behind her eyes. She covered it all up with a sarcastic phrase.

"So are we just going to stay out here or go back inside?" her monotone asked, and a few people, namely Garfield and Vesta, just seemed to realize what she'd said.

"Wait," Garfield said, looking around him to see the trees and the blue sky, "Dude!"

Raven rolled her eyes, and Winter repeated the choices, once again.

"Truth, dare, double dare, promise to repeat, asparatuckle, fire house, bottle."

"Truth," Raven said immediately. She wasn't going to be sucked into one of the incredibly stupid dares which everyone else was bound to. And they couldn't come up with something too bad for her to admit - could they?

On the ground, once again, the inverse of the truth-ee conveyed ideas to each other in a circle. They needed something good. Whoever came up with the following was either vicious, a mind reader, or both, but I will not disclose their identity, for everyone's sakes.

Victor stood up and asked the question. "Raven," he said, "have you ever had a dream that included a large vat of marshmallows and chocolate and… a hot guy?" (I'm seriously thinking of upping the rating of this story… so when you read this it will probably be T… what with all of my horrid content)

Nothing happened. Raven's eyes did not bug out, nor did they squeeze into little slits. They merely watched the faces of all to figure out who had come up with that question.

She must have been silent for a while because Victor, after looking at his (high-tech) watch on his left arm asked, "Well?"

This was when her eyes narrowed, looking at Vic, the only one standing besides her, and with a sigh, she finally replied, "If you could call him a hot guy."

In disbelief, many jaws dropped. First went Vic's, who probably had only asked the question as a joke, then Garfield's, who just… didn't believe it for some reason, then Betty's and Dick's in unison. Kori, Vesta, Winter, and Rayne shared 'looks' with each other as if they had known the answer beforehand but still wanted to break out laughing.

(I think I'm about half way through the dares… yeah. Must keep typing!)

Much to their effort, the girls could not contain their laughter forever, and after a few moments just began to cackle, breaking slowly into bales of laughter while they rolled on the ground. Some of them, meaning Kori, literally. The rest had closed their jaws now, by the way, and a few watched the girls laughing sort of questionably.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Winter, who had sort of become a referee for the game, looked at a Raven who seethed, though she stood still with her hands in her poncho pocket of her hoodie, just looking at her. She told her to pick someone.

"Pick someone," she said.

Raven did not even look around before she saw who she wanted to pick, and that person had long red hair and big, innocent green eyes. No, Gar has not become a red haired bishi and suddenly become innocent for those of you who were wondering. Kori grinned at her dark friend in pure happiness while Winter recited the list, which I will not this time repeat.

It was strange to hear what Kori spoke next, but maybe she was just in a strange mood today, more of a daring one I guess. What she said was, "Double dare."

Wow. I say wow now, but if you were thinking the same thing then you would have to multiply that by at least two to figure out how shocked the rest of her friends were to hear her say that. No jaws dropped this time, but they were just as surprised.

There was not even a real meeting for this one; only the girls inverted to Kori huddled together, even Raven though she did not speak much. Within moments, the least amount of time it had ever taken during this game to come up with something, the female teens had come up with a genius double dare, and, even though it took the least amount of time, it was the longest and most complicated.

"First of all," Raven said, coming apart from the circle, "Are you sure that you want a double dare? You can't back down from it."

Kori put on a chibi smile and nodded, seemingly ready for any risk she was taking.

"Okay then," she said before turning to Dick and speaking to him. It was a little bit awkward but she ignored it and acted as if nothing had happened. "Do you have Kitten's number?"

Dick groaned, standing himself up from where he'd been learning against the tree. "Do I," he shook his head while he pulled out his mobile phone, "She sits behind me in math class and every time I've come out of there so far it's always programmed in. It's starting to creep me out."

"Dude," Gar said as if the answer was obvious, "it's called pickpocketing!"

Raven took the cellular phone from the black haired boy's outstretched hand and turned it on, allowing Rayne to finish her speech for her.

"Okay then," the redhead (Rayne, not Kori) announced, "We'll have to head inside while we tell you the details, but this is the best one we've come up with yet."

From the experiences he had this day had with these girls and their dares, Dick could only once again groan.

l-a-t-e-r-l-a-t-e-r-l-a-t-e-r-l-a-t-e-r

Underneath the door Kitten could hear the sounds of romantic music playing and could see that the lights had been dimmed. She pulled her purse up off of her arm and found inside of it an array of cosmetology, much of which she reapplied now in front of her compact mirror. She also sprayed herself on her wrists with cotton candy perfume, and, not knocking, entered the dorm room as she had wished to every time she passed it since she had started coming to school here. (talk about stalker, it's the second day of school!)

Inside was not exactly how she'd expected it, the carpet was a metallic blue, and in front of her she could see a silver u-shaped couch and a glowing screen, showing a romantic film, the scene being of a couple walking hand in hand down a trail in the park. There were a few candles lit around the room for an overall romantic effect, and the girl approved. Over the top of the couch she could see Dick's spiky black hair, and realized that he must have been waiting for her to knock. So instead she cleared her throat.

Nothing happened; no reaction to her presence at all. This ticked Kitten off royally. You don't invite the girl of your dreams over to ignore her, she thought as she came closer to the edge of the couch before finally seeing something else besides black spikes; this time she saw red as well.

Still thinking that it was her beloved Richard, (I just couldn't bring myself to say 'beloved Dick') she came up behind him, hoping to put her hands over his eyes playfully and say, "guess who!"

Coming up did not give her the reaction she'd hoped for from her beloved - it was now that she saw what the red really was.

"Kori Anderson!" her high pitched voice screeched even higher than it would have in her normal speech (work with me, I've never seen date w/ destiny so I don't know!)

Yes, on the couch in front of her, watching a romantic movie in a dimly lit room with candles and cuddling up with HER (coughnotcough) Dick, was Kori, the only girl who could compete in popularity with her; topping her social standing along with almost everything else. Kori was in Dick's arms, apparently asleep, and the two of them were curled up together.

Kitten began to hyperventilate, wanting to grab Dick and just take him from that whore (her thoughts, not mine) right now, but when Dick turned to her it was only to shush her, so she looked like she would soon pull every hair out of her head as she ran out of the room.

"And cut," Betty said satisfactorily, coming out from behind the door to Dick's room where she'd been hiding.

"That's a wrap," Winter added, coming from behind her.

Vesta and Rayne came next, appearing to be VERY happy. They joined hands and jumped up and down excitedly. "That was the best!" Rayne exclaimed as they began to hop in circles.

"I know," Vesta added, but after a moment stopped their jumping by saying, "Woa. Stop."

She had gotten dizzy and tired, as had Rayne, for that matter. While they had been jumping around, out came Vic and Gar, both clapping and whistling, while Speedy followed them sullenly. The copy of Dick did not seem to like the way the double dare had turned out. Raven was the last to exit, but apathetically.

Dick pulled out his cell once more, and deleted the number which he had only kept on because of their use of it that afternoon; Kitten's number. Kori had gotten off of his lap and was laughing along with the rest of the room; despite her VERY kind personality she had enjoyed pissing off her nemesis, and now sat beside him, fixing her now messy hair.

The first one who spoke, who seemed to be in good spirits now, was Dick, and he spoke to the girl who sat beside him with a kind grin on his face, "Okay, Kori, who's next?"

Most everyone in the room had practically forgotten about the game, but, fortunately for you lovely readers, Dick had not, so the chapter will go on.

With another large grin, Kori pointed to Betty, who was now lounging on the side of the couch. "Betty," she announced.

By now, everyone had at least gotten the jist of the list, (dude… what is with my rhyming today!) and when Winter said it almost everyone spoke along (except those few that if you can't figure out who they are then you are… I dunno… dumb?).

"Truth, dare, double dare, promise to repeat, asparatuckle, fire house, bottle."

"Aspara - yeah, that one." Betty said, almost messing up saying it right around the middle, therefore making herself end it near there.

Vesta was the one who got the idea this time, and they didn't even clump up.

"Name a colour," she said.

"Yellow," Betty replied skeptically.

"No," Vesta whined, "Name a different one."

Betty thought for a minute as if trying to figure out what the heck this girl was trying to trick her into saying, then announced her answer, "White."

"Yes!" Vesta exclaimed as they all huddled up now so that she could explain it to them. Everyone was there, even Raven and Speedy who had been in sullen and/or crabby moods up until just now, and smoke could be seen coming from between their circle.

If Betty didn't know any better she would have said they were having a REAL powwow.

A few minutes passed and Betty got bored; sitting down in response to that boredom, and then a timer dinged.

The circle allowed Kori to come out, who was, characteristically, smiling, and she spoke like a show hostess. "Ladies, or lady, I hope you are ready for the whitest asparatuckle you'll ever find, with the exception of it before the mustard; Betty's dish!"

The circle, which had previously parted to allow Kori to get out, parted completely so that Betty could see what was between them. There was a small table with an old fashioned silver cover over a plate, complete with candles (from wherever they had been for Kori's double dare), silverware, and a white cloth napkin. Oh, did I mention that everything else was white as well? No, I didn't, but now you know. It was white.

Betty looked surprised; she had been thinking that there would be a bubbling pan of white marshmallow fluff (what is it with me and marshmallows lately?) or something to that general effect, but instead, upon seeing all this, she was surprised then suspicious.

"Hm," was all she said, pretending to stroke a beard on her chinny chin chin which did not exist.

"Come on, Bee," Vic said, tempting her, "You know you wanna know what's under the lid."

If anyone had known her desire to want to know, of course it had to be Victor Stone. That boy really ticked her off sometimes, but she wouldn't let him win against her. Now that he had set up an obstacle, she would overcome it.

"Nope," she said, shrugging with apathy only previously seen with Raven, "Not really. It's probably empty."

Victor growled in a sort of growl-y way, and Vesta introduced, not unlike Kori had moments before, her dish. "(clears throat) Ahem. I now give you, (trumpets sound) a white dish, made with mayonaise, ranch dressing, marshmallow fluff, vanilla ice cream, white bread, milk, baking soda, flour, sugar, egg whites, vanilla frosting, salt and vinegar potato chips, and swordfish."

"Wo-o-o-o-o-ow," came the smooth call from around the room, from each and every pair of lips except Vesta's, whose were smiling proudly.

"And," Kori added excitedly, "Mustard to spell your name!"

An annoyed mark appeared on Vesta's head, and Rayne looked like she was scared that her friend would pop - she stood ready to pounce as needed, and she said, "I told you not to add it but NO, nobody listens to the chef, even when it's all supposed to be WHITE! Grr."

Betty seemed to also sense the static nervousness around the room and interrupted by going up to the table set for one and lifting the dish cover to reveal a soup bowel filled with many white substances and, true to Kori's word, mustard which said "B" on the top.

"Ew." She said simply as she took the spoon and dipped it in the substance. Victor came up next to her like a little kid, though, before she could put the disgusting, white substance to her lips.

"Bee," he said, the nickname he'd given to her God knows when sticking, "If you die, can I have your gamestation?"

The same annoyance marks which had previously appeared on Vesta's forehead now appeared on Betty's as she punched him on the top of his head, causing him to fall on the floor. While the bite of… food… went through Betty's mouth, though, he got another hit on his head, this time from Vesta for insulting her cooking.

"Don't worry," Winter said, happy that her friends were enjoying the game, "The green will go away soon."

She was referring to the disgusted look on Betty's face, but it didn't stay too long. She had not picked asparatuckle for nothing - she could deal with rotten foods. She was just about to announce who would preside to be picked after her when an alarm went off, though they found out quickly that it was Rayne's cell phone.

Leaving the room, Rayne answered it and found it to be Emily, telling her to get everyone back before curfew! The redhead reminded her friend over the phone that she no longer went to school with them, but Emily was persistent.

"Just tell them to get home!" she said loudly into the speaker.

Rayne shrugged after their conversation had ended and went back into Victor and Dick's room. It turned out that while she was gone Gar had picked fire house for his turn, but before he could be told the situations he had to choose between, Rayne cleared her throat.

"You guys have a curfew, and Emily says that if you don't get going soon you're gonna be in trouble." The way Rayne was talking it was almost as if she didn't want them to go, but that didn't matter right now.

"Holy crap!" Vesta said, looking at the clock on the wall, "It's really late!"

She, Garfield, and Speedy rushed out of the room after rushed good-byes, and the others remaining shook their heads.

"So, what was Gar's gonna be?" Rayne asked, clearly oblivious to what had happened while she was giving herself a brain tumour.

Winter snickered. "Oh, another time, love, another time."

* * *

WeAreCrazyHyperSchitzoGirls: it was manditory, actually, but that's okay. (see the answer to your other review)

d: thanks for reading the story and answering the questions. i was laughing at them, they were tres funny! yup. i'm always glad to hear that someone else is a loyal BBRae shipper. I was watching Nevermore tonight, and it was the first time i'd seen it, and in the beginning i thought that it was going to be a bit... how to put it? a "NOOOO" episode. i mean, the kind that makes you want to scream and rip your hair out, but by the middle i fell in love with it. it's weird that i'm such a loyal shipper and i haven't really seen all of the bomber bbrae eps.

renayumi: thank you for being nice to me and not killing me for not updating! it really means a lot::Relief:-p thanks for the review, too!

Rose: thanks for the break a leg! the play was awesome, and i know it almost by heart now! also, i thank you for answering all of the questions, there will be more starrob in a few chapters, and, by the way, you get 100! yay! someone read my long boring annoying author's notes! or at least the one at the beginning of the last chapter that is. i hope you keep reading :-d

cRiTiC123: that's cool if you didn't know the answers to all of the questions, i was just having a little random moment when I wrote them. So thanks for liking my story, though i guessi can't really thank you because there isn't anything you can do about it (did that make sense?) I'm also glad that you like good couplings, though. :-d i'm just surprised that no one has said any bee/cy or even any bad couplings yet... oh yeah, thanks for the review!

Allaloneinthedarkandstillhere: hehe... i watched nevermore tonight, then, cuz my mom was on the computer when i finished watching it, i went in my room and watched it again! (i had recorded it) so i actually finished this chapter sweatdrops, and it took me all afternoon! i wanted really badly to write a one-shot last night but i had to restrain and work on this chapter... though i think that i rushed to much at the end, what do you think? so i'll talk to you later:-d byebyes!

xBxMYxJaMeSxdEAnxcandyclouds: (i can never remember which ones are capitalized) so guess what! golden-sama updated! muhahaha... he didn't answer your review! but i'll give you a copy of the chapter tomorrow if you havent read it yet by then. i think he's afraid of us by now. lol. i hear the voices too, thank you v. much. humph. i watched nevermore and i liked it! (raven: you stayed, i thought you didn't like me, bb: i thought YOU didn't like ME, Cy: hey, i like both of you... then he said something else... i loved that part. not because of the sentiment, but because of cy's line. and you know that it takes a lot for me to like one of cy's lines. lol)

* * *

ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS:

What was the first thing I thinking about when I got lost in a tangent and got the idea for this chapter?  
Answer: Nuns (found in the a/n of chapter 5 (part one))

What religion/faith do you believe most strongly in/participate in?  
Answer: my answer is Christian. There was no actual point to this question I was just curious.

In the prologue of this story, someone is reading a poem at the time that Winter decides what she's going to do for her fanfiction. What is this poem about?  
Answer: "the torments of tofu" (found in the italics of the prologue)

What is your favourite coupling? What coupling do you want to see more of in future chapters?  
Answer: my answer was GarRae/BBRae. (I love them!) this was another one of my pointless questions, except to figure out what I should write more about later.

Which of the following episodes is 'everything's pointless dude' (also dubbed by me: Achilles) not present in:  
Answer: He is not seen in answer (C.) "Episode 257-325". "Everything's pointless dude" (Achilles) appears in the crowd of people who become hypnotized in answer (A) "Revolution," and is seen running away from a mechanical dog in answer (B) "Can I keep him?"

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Six"  
After this weird game of truth or dare, everyone goes home and gets a good night's sleep. Except Rayne that is. And, meanwhile, where has Emily been? And what of Achilles? And where is my other sock?


	8. Six

**note**- sorry for the long wait for the update! Wait a second… I updated exactly on time… darn my stupid brain. The thing is, on Sunday (?) I took my computer and unplugged it, planning on giving it to my little brother to give me more space in my room (and I would only use it to type up stuff) and now, when I am writing this on Tuesday, it feels like ages since I've been on here. I feel like I've come home after a long journey… okay. Fun fun fun. Time for… seriousness! No, that's no good. I think I'll just stick with the fun.

**note**- I don't really dedicate my chapters, but the wireless café scene is sort of a dedication for being dedicated to golden-sama. Read his story, "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere for you" people. It has the BEST bbrae getting together scene, the one thing that got me totally hooked on that story. (oh yeah - the story isn't too shabby either :-p) And now I think that he is afraid of caitlyn and myself. Lol.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

_At a lone table in the corner of the wireless café sat two girls, both engrossed with what was on the screen of the single laptop. Around the compact machine were various water bottles, most of which were empty.  
__On the screen of this very laptop was a story; of course it was a fanfiction in case you did not know - what else could they be reading but a good fanfiction? It was a very good one, in fact, and the two were writing reviews - very long reviews in fact - to their best buddy.  
_"_He probably thinks we're stalkers," the redhead said, stretching out as Winter began to type her own review, "And that we live in a mental institution."  
_"_Yes," the blonde with red streaks/tips replied, "No."  
__Rayne was a little puzzled by this; what the heck was Winter trying to say? Yes or no?  
_"_He does think we're stalkers. Didn't you read the dedication?" She pointed to the author's note at the beginning of the chapter, then, scrolling down to the end of the chapter added, "And no, he doesn't think we're in a mental institution. I brought it up and he said that he didn't think of it."  
__The redhead looked thoughtful for a few moments before looking back at Winter and saying, "This is going to be in your story, isn't it?"  
__It wasn't a question, but a statement.  
_"_Oh yes, Rayne, love, it will," Winter said before draining the last of her bottle of water, "Now if only I had more water my life would be momentarily perfect."_

"So what did Gar choose?" Rayne pestered her good mate, Winter, about the game they were playing earlier in the afternoon. The blonde and red haired girl wouldn't give her any of the details so Rayne was trying to, as cunningly as possible, pry every bit possible a little at a time.

"You already know," Winter replied, "Fire house."

"What were his choices?" the girl with truly natural red hair tried to sneak in.

Winter was not fooled, though. She shook her head and grinned. "Next time, darlin'."

The two friends were walking back to the dorms from the dinner hall which was where they had come. Everyone else had headed back to their respected rooms at least fifteen minutes ago and the sky was growing darker every moment; a curse of early September. Winter, so kindly, changed the subject.

"I think we should concentrate on BBRae," she suggested, "It really seems more promising at the moment."

"Yeah right," Rayne rolled her eyes, "You saw how close Rob and Star were together on the couch," she countered, "And the rest of the night, really. And also you couldn't miss how badly those two were when Rob had to kiss-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Winter intervened, probably not wanting to hear what she had been forced to witness only a couple of hours or so ago, "So what? They're like that on the show, too, and nothing happens. We won't be missing anything."

With a shrug of her shoulders, Rayne fought back. She also was a loyal 'shipper of BBRae, but one with the name of Rayne and the obsession the great size that Rayne did of Teen Titans could not just back down on a fight for more RobStar.

"We've had almost none so far," she pointed out, "And I, personally, want to see them get together before everybody wakes up! Besides. If we concentrate on a couple that will not likely make it any time soon, (At this comment, Winter's forehead vein could be seen protruding… er… gracefully) we'll miss all of the great RobStar moments. " Rayne wiggled her eyebrows in mock suggestion at this next comment, "You can't deny that they're in lo-o-o-ove."

The vein popped back to its normal place as Winter let out a whine.

"Yeah," she said, still in a whiny voice. Her figure was a bit hunched and her face was pouty. "But your idea sucked."

Rayne pondered momentarily her friend's point, and saw the logic in it. That did not matter to her, though, you see. She was used to Winter being a pain in the bum from time to time, so she did not meditate on this point for too long.

"You know," she said thoughtfully, "If I worked on it, I could make it work."

"Go a.p.p.l.e.," Winter murmured in the same voice which could be heard in Monty Python and the Holy Grail when they were forced to eat Robin's minstrels, and there was much rejoicing; yay. (please note that when I say Robin in the previous sentence I am referring to he who is in MP and the Q for the HG, not to be confused with he of the TT. Thank you for noting this.)

Rayne's eyes lit up and she grinned. "A---

(I am sorry to interrupt this program but the following conversation must be muted, due to the fact that they will be releasing important information regarding a very secret society that must not be let out at this time. I am sorry if anyone was curious, but it is an important issue and cannot be discussed with the general public or with that of Once again, again, I am sorry."

Winter was grinning too, but she rolled her eyes, finding her friend's actions silly.

"No really," Rayne insisted, sure now that she could do it, "I'll come up with a plan and give it to you in the morning!"

"Okay," Winter chuckled, still not quite believing the now excited redhead beside her. She still thought that Rayne's plans would always be impossible by human standards - or at least by the ones set for mediocre waged under aged girls in an alternate universe - but hey, miracles can happen. "Just make sure you get down everything you can about today."

"Yep!" Rayne replied, a smile still plastered across her face. They now stood in front of the dorm house that Rayne lived in (as well as Kori and Betty, but the alternate universified Teen Titans were not aware of Rayne's presence in their dorm yet) and were about to disperse to the different buildings in which they lived.

Suddenly it seemed as if Rayne'd had some sort of idea, plan, or thoughtful thought.

Of course it was the thought, what else would it be? Besides the idea or the plan, that is.

"I wonder who my roommate is," Rayne said in a pondering voice. When the two girls had begun to unpack all of Rayne's things (and before that) they had not given much thought to the question. Sure, the other half of Rayne's new dorm was, accountably, pink, but that could mean anything, so they didn't really bother with it. "Maybe Anna brought -"

Whoever Rayne was thinking that Anna had brought to be her roommate was interrupted as Winter opened the door to the dorm hall, shoved the redhead inside, and shut the door behind her.

"Goodnight!" she called, not knowing whether or not Rayne could hear her, but not caring all that much. She began to walk to her own dorm hall (which stood right next to the one which Rayne was in), saying the one word under her breath in a sort of laughing way that described her strange friend (though it was not a mean thing), "Baka."

* * *

(Three and a half hours earlier; Lemington school)

Emily was seated with her legs crossed Indian style on the ground. Above her towered a large tree, though I do not know what kind, and under the shade she mock meditated. When I say mock I do not mean that she was jesting it, but that she was not seriously doing it, just sort of dozing off outside.

She occasionally believed herself to be Shaman. The only reason she had picked this path, though, was because she loved the outdoors and this was the only religion which completely followed her love. The only thing wrong with her devotion was that she thought that it got creepy sometimes when people thought that they had inherited the spirits of animals, so she really just put on the mask of being Shaman, while, in all truth, she just really respected nature.

A certain shaggy black haired boy was just as bored as she was, under her fake meditation, that he decided to bug his friend.

Achilles walked up behind Emily, and, in his monotone, spoke to her.

"Hi," he said, "You're not really meditating."

The short girl with long blonde hair tried to ignore him, just to show him up and prove that she really was meditating, which she was not, but the problem with this idea was that she wasn't really so it would not be showing him up all that much.

He was already out of ideas. He had wanted to begin to annoy her with a simple "You aren't meditating" but that had not worked so it took him a few moments to come up with something else.

With a fake gasp, completely out of his nature so very unanticipated, Achilles exclaimed (though still in an almost emotionless voice), "They're killing the rabbit!"

This made the (fake) Shaman girl jump up in righteous fury. I tell you, if she'd had starbolts, there would be a hole in somebody just about now with that righteous fury running through her veins.

"What!" she screeched, jumping right up and looking around furiously. There was nothing more important to her than a poor helpless animal - though she would probably think differently if it was on her plate. She ate meat like any other normal teenage girl, but she did not like to see animals tortured.

After a moment or so of not seeing any persecuted animals, Emily turned to face Achilles with an angry look on her face. The boy's face was empty, though he had almost laughed when she'd stood up so quickly just a couple seconds ago. He looked as if he couldn't care less about what was going on around him, and he was about to just turn and carelessly walk away to articulate his point when Emily began to speak to him.

"You messed up my meditation," she said slowly and dangerously, "And for that you should pay."

Achilles shrugged. "Verse' you in HALO?"

Emily's competitive nature came over her and she put out her right hand for him to shake, all evil madness drained from her being to be replaced by happiness. She tended to have mood swings such as this at completely random times. "You're on."

* * *

(Present time, Harrisfield School)

Winter stepped into her shared dorm room carefully, not wanting to disturb her roommate who could be doing anything at the moment.

Her carefulness was for folly, though, as Raven was simply sitting at the computer (which they both shared to save space, money, etcetera) typing what was probably an email or at least something personal of some sort. The point is, she was just sort of sitting there and Winter need not have been so worried. Got it?

" 'Ello, Rae-chan!" Winter happily chided as she let her presence become known, sitting down on the edge of her single bed which was covered with an orange and black striped comforter.

Raven cringed, both at the nickname and the fact that she had not heard the annoying half redhead enter the room. Maybe it was also the fact that she was writing an email which she didn't want Winter to read, but I am not Raven. I do not know all the facts of her being… It's hard enough knowing what I know about myself. Jeez.

"Hello, Winter," she said in her normal tone, stopping her typing for a moment to stretch out her arms and shake out her fingers (though not before minimizing the screen she was typing on), "How are you?"

Winter was taking off her shoes and wiggling her toes under her pink socks, the smell coming from them but Raven making no audible note of it, just wrinkling her nose.

"Oh, I'm just dandy, darlin'," she said before yawning, "It's been a really long day, though."

Raven's head nodded and it turned back to the computer screen and replying monotonously. "Positively."

The blonde and red haired chika looked at the luminous clock beside her bed. It relayed the time of "8:34" to her in bold red letters. Since it was still very early September, the sun didn't go down until later in the evening and it had just set now.

Winter released a groan, now pulling off the socks. She then pulled herself onto the length of her bed, emitting a loud, joking groan of ecstasy, and murmured, "I'm going to go to bed right now, I'm so tired. When does the weekend come?"

The nearly violet haired girl on the computer barely skipped a beat in her typing to answer, "Tomorrow's Friday. Do the math."

Another groan graced the air, though this one was out of lazy annoyance. "But I hate maths!" Winter said, sitting up and walking over to the mini-refrigerator and pulling out a bottle of water. She then changed the subject. "It feels like it's been so long since I've drank bottled water from this 'fridge. It's been a long and exciting day."

"So you keep saying," Raven replied, still typing away, away, away, away… (This is getting annoying, isn't it. You really want to know what she's doing now, don't you! Haha… I know and you don't! But you may soon find out….)

"What are you doing?" Apparently Winter has the same mind that I do. I mentioned it right before she said it. Isn't that quite the coin-kee-dink?

This made Raven a little bit frigid, and once again to skip a beat in her typing, but she did not completely falter.

"Nothing special," she said, probably choosing her words very carefully, "I'm writing an email."

Winter was back at her bed, holding the water bottle in her hands and searching around the perimeter of her bed for something. She did, however, look up to shoot an evil grin at her roommate to prove that she could see through what she was saying.

"Who's it to?" She asked, beginning her search once more.

If we had still been in normal space and not in an alternate reality, there would have either been an annoyed mark on Raven's head or possibly a sweatdrop. I am not in her mind, I am making conclusions though.

So Raven apparently chose to be truthful and to endear the horridness of Winter's teasing. "It's for Garfield."

The girl who was still searching for something pretended that she didn't want to tease her friend about it, so instead she noted, looking in the spout of her clear water bottle, "This stuff tastes disgusting. (referring to her water)Do you know what happened to the other sock that I just took off?"

* * *

Rayne hummed a happy tune as she walked up the stairs toward her dorm room. She did not skip, nor were her steps light and fluffy, but she did not sulk either.

Instead she was just walking as a normal girl does.

On her mind was the thought of who could be her roommate. Would it be someone foreign and exotic who could teach her to eat with chopsticks? Probably not. Pink was not usually a colour which was fused with the thought of oriental people. Maybe it would be someone normal like her, just with a touch of amicability for the colour pink, who enjoyed good things like science fiction, books, and fan fiction.

Ha. If only she could be that lucky.

The last thought that passed through her brain as she put the key into the hole in the doorknob was the obvious - could it be someone pre-

A shriek stopped her thought when the door opened, and was followed by what Rayne believed to be a tube of lipstick.

The thought which had not been completed basically stated that her roommate could be someone preppy. Who it was turned out to be, true, the preppy type, but in this case it was worse. Rayne had almost nothing against preps whatsoever, but what lied behind the door was much, much worse.

Can you guess? Can you guess? Can you GUESS!

It was Kitten.

In front of Rayne sat, on her pink bed, the form of the blonde (coughbitchcough) crying the thick mascara and eyeliner down her cheeks. It wasn't real tears, though, but the fake 'pity me' tears of someone who was about to dump a guy but got dumped first so they're incredibly pissed off.

Rayne was terrified that Kitten might somehow recognize her as part of the group that led to the demise of any hope she might have had in Dick liking her, but she need not have been. She should have just realized that Kitten just wouldn't like her.

"Get out!" she actually spoke this time, though it was a shriek, "I'm not doing any makeovers tonight! Didn't you see the goddamn sign!"

As a matter of fact, Rayne had not seen the sign, nor had she cared to. But right there on the front of the door was a sign that said what Kitten had told her, just in loopier letters.

"Actually, I didn't." Rayne said, shutting the door behind her, "Nor do I care to. (What did I say?) I live here."

Kitten gave Rayne the open mouthed, "you-have-got-to-be-kidding-I-am-really-ticked-off-but-I-have-nothing-clever-to-say" look that often stuck up girls such as herself could be seen wearing when they have been burned, or in this case, just have nothing clever to say.

"Well - you're stuff is messy!" she said in an annoying high pitched tone, "Clean it up or I'll kick you out!"

Rayne scurried to her side of the room (the side without the pink). Kitten was obviously still a bit sore about the way that Dick had burned her earlier, but the redhead couldn't stand a time to try to slyly make it worse.

"You know," she said thoughtfully from where she stood beside her bed, beginning to unpack the clothes that had not been earlier, "That Rich Grayson's pretty hot."

Kitten sniveled again and began to hyperventilate. "He's taken."

The blonde girl's back was to Rayne, so she let her face snicker freely. Being the kind of girl who loved to act, she walked calmly beside Kitten and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She spoke in a calm voice. "You wanna talk about i-"

Kitten ripped the hand off of her shoulder to examine the nails on Rayne's hand. The girl had fairly long nails, and were almost perfectly manicured though chipped a bit at the ends. They were multicoloured, using all of the colours on a different nail, and Kitten was examining them thoroughly.

The girl gasped in awe. "These are so cool!" she said, looking at them. Rayne immediately began to become inwardly panicked.

"Um, thanks?" she replied.

Kitten released Rayne's hand but she now looked at her with big happy eyes which made Rayne wish she had never tried to tease this girl - the consequences looked pretty bleak.

"You wanna do our toenails!" Kitten said in such a happy voice.

Searching desperately for a way out, Rayne tried in vain, "I still have to unpack -"

"Oh who cares?" Kitten said, pulling out a big case of cosmetics and setting it on the bed, "Fashion is way too important."

The redhead began to back away, ready to use any means necessary, even running out of the room, to get away from the monstrosity that was fashion.

At the last minute, right before Rayne got away, Kitten stood up and grabbed her, pulling her onto the ground to sit with her and her large array of makeup and nail polish.

"I'll do your nails and you do my nails!" she said in a happy, perky voice.

In her head, Rayne was doing two things. One was she was praying the Our Father over and over in her head, and two, she was planning to kill Anna at the next available chance. That girl was not going to get out of dying for allowing Kitten to come along into this virtual world.

* * *

Out her window Winter leaned, singing the lyrics to "tomorrow," the famous "Annie" song, as a huge joke as it was dark outside and the sun would, duh, come out tomorrow.

"Winter, shut up and get out of the window." Raven said, turning off the lamp beside her bed and rolling over.

Reluctantly, Winter complied, but not until she had shouted loudly out the window, "GOODNIGHT EVERYBODY! SEE YOU TOMORROW!"

* * *

**Tidus'luvr**: Oh do not worry my dear polar bear, there shall be more of the bishi. And hint hint, wink wink more of you two in the same scene. No brotherly love for you will you get from him… if you understood what I just said then you'll realize a bit about what is going to happen in future chapters. Love ya girl! thanks you for reviewing!

**xBxMYxJaMeSxDeANxcandyclouds**: of course you loved the chapter. And if I am as good as I think I am then you liked this one too - didn't you! It is ME after all, I mean, how could you NOT love it? (lol!) all I found out was puts on stalker disguise that he is in high school. Muhahahaha. I love stalking it is the best. Did you read the review I left him? Not today but for the other chapter? I wish I got reviews that long. (but, aww shucks, nobody loves me. pouts lol) what do I say but thank you for the lovely review!

**Rose**: under my bed… under my - smacks forehead - aww shucks. If only you were there when it was lost then I would have found it I bet! Jeez. I am so stupid. Lol. Thank you for the review!

**WeAreCrazyHyperSchitzoGirls**: I guess………. CAITLYN! The reason I think THAT is cuz you reviewed golden-sama under this name too and you're the only one who uses it any more (lol) …….. we have to get together over break, by the way. So THERE………

* * *

**note**- This chapter was adequitely pointless.I finished this just a little bit earlier than I usually do. 4:20 on Thursday instead of 7 PM. So I guess that's good, but it's shorter than I wanted it to be. Grr. Either way, The next chapter will be the start of a new day, and will be nice and long. New trials, old ones, crazy stuff, you get the picture. Anyway, I'm going to go post this now. Next update on **April 28**. Ciao!

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Seven"

Morning comes of the second day! (finally!) But there's some weird stuff going on already. A nice mix of herbal tea, old age books, morning sickness from anything but pregnancy and an annoying radio station to come to a computer screen near you - possibly already in front of you. Just come back and read it - you'll see.


	9. Seven

**note**-I don't know what I wrote in the 'sneaky peaky' at the end of the last chapter, but if it said anything about morning time then I am terribly sorry. I have decided to skip the morning as it is boring and gives me a headache.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

_The purple haired girl set the water bottle down on the table next to the open laptop. She had a look of grim determination on her features but the girl who was typing on that laptop was basically ignoring it.  
__"So, Winter," Raven said, pulling the water bottle back when Winter reached for it, "You aren't getting this until you tell me everything."  
__The girl rolled her blue eyes and went back to typing.  
__"Sorry, Rae, but I have to finish this chapter before the night's over. I have to update tomorrow."  
__Purple eyes narrowed and the promise of the utterance of three deadly words was apparent. (Interpretation: she was pretty close to saying 'azarath, metrion, zinthos')  
__The lights around the cafe suddenly went out and the laptop's screen went blank. Winter looked at the blackness in disbelief, pushing a few buttons experimentally which did not do anything. She was just about to accuse Raven of doing this when she saw John, the waiter, go up onto the stage with a flashlight and make an announcement.  
__"The thunderstorm made the lights go out, but the generator'll kick in any minute now."  
__The blonde and red haired girl looked like she was about to scream.  
__"Give me the bloody water, Raven," she growled and the empath complied, "How'd you find me, anyway?"  
__"I'm psychic, remember?" The two were silent for a couple minutes, but the purple haired girl sat down on the stool next to Winters at the table and said, "Now that you're not busy, tell me everything that I don't know."  
__Winter closed her now dead laptop, took a swig of her water; enough to finish the bottle, and, getting up from the table and preparing to run, stuck out her tongue at Raven.  
__"You're stuck with your own knowledge for now, love. You have to wait for updates just like everybody else."_

"In 1828, Congress passed the highest tariff in the history of the nation. The 'Southerners' had a nickname for it, does anyone know what it was?"

A few students raised their hands feebly. The man teaching the class did not choose any of them but instead answered the question himself.

"They called it the 'Tariff of Abominations.' And does anyone know what an abomination is?"

The History teacher went on like this every day, just with different topics. He always asked questions, and when people raised their hands he didn't call on them. When people didn't raise their hands, he yelled at the class saying that they weren't doing their homework, which he then would assign more of.

In the back of the classroom, the desks which some people would kill for, sat the three 'R's, and I don't mean 'reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic'.

"Maybe if I attempt to murder someone he'll notice," Rayne whispered this into Dick's ear. The spiky haired boy gave Rayne a 'look'. What did that look say? I don't know, I wasn't there. But Rayne tells me that it was a 'shut-up-or-I'll-start-to-laugh-then-we'll-both-be-in-trouble' look. Hey, it could happen.

Rayne felt something press against her left elbow, and turned to see Raven passing her a note.

"I feel popular today," she whispered to herself as she collected the folded piece of paper from her purple hoodied friend. Inside of her textbook she unfolded it to find a short message.

"He would notice. He would probably call the history book company and demand it be put in next year's edition. -Raven-"

Rayne would have laughed, but the first thought on her mind was that Raven had heard what she'd said to the third "R" in their little group, Richard.

She wrote underneath Raven's text, "How did you hear me? I thought I was being quiet."

The pass back was smooth. They didn't try to get those back row of seats for nothing, you know. What better way to use them than to pass notes?

It took a little longer for Rayne to write out what she wanted to say this time, but within a minute or so Rayne was once again unfolding the note in the privacy of her big textbook.

"Anger against the tariff increased in the South. Congress passed a new tariff in 1832 that lowered the rate slightly. Does anyone know which Southern state was most unsatisfied..."

In case you did not guess, that was the teacher droning on.

The note said, "You were being quiet. I took a quiz once on what my ability would be if I was a superhero and it said that I would be some kind of psychic. I also have really good hearing and the curse of noticing details. -Raven-"

Before Rayne even had the chance to pick up her pen and write a responce, she was greeted by another note, though this one came from her right side.

It was from Dick, and what it said was sort of unexpected. "Rayne, Do you know what class Kori has next? It's important! from, Richard"

Rayne looked at the black haired boy with dark glasses seated beside her and leaned toward him. "Why," she said, resisting the urge to tell him that it was because he 'lo-o-o-o-oved her.'

Dick just glared at her, though she could not see his eyes to be completely certain. It was just a hunch, really, but when it's Dick Grayson... You just know it I guess.

The redhead gave a sweatdrop worthy smile and itched her head, writing down the word, 'science,' without any more questions. Nobody wants to get on this boy's bad side, I'll allow you that much information, nobody at all.

After passing the note back to Dick and releasing a large sigh (though as quietly as she possibly could without getting the teacher's attention) she was just about to send Raven an answer to the original note when she felt another piece of folded paper poking at her left elbow.

It read something like this:

"Why did Dick want to know what Kori's next class is? -Raven-"

* * *

Winter, who was less lucky when it came to assigned seats than Raven, Rayne and Dick (or Richard as some prefer to call him) and sat in the front of the room, was looking over a piece of paper herself. Several, actually. They were supposed to be 'the (master) plan' to get Kori and Dick together, but in random places there were strange, unneeded phrases such as "Save me," and "Get her away," graced the rest of the paper. Rayne could be so weird sometimes.

The blonde and red haired girl had shrugged them off, not thinking twice of her friend's mental stability, and followed the plan page by page, thinking as hard as her cranium could muster to figure out if the plan would work.

Since her brain was so previously occupied, she did not realize it when her teacher called on her. The lady called on her many times before she actually came up to her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh... Yeah?" Winter said, looking up at the young female who was supposed to be teaching the class, "Did you need something?"

"Could you please go to the board and disect this sentence?" In case this is necessary, the woman teaching was an English teacher. In this case the class she was teaching right now was Fiction Writing, and they were doing a unit on grammar.

Winter looked up at the sentence awaiting her and seemed to be weighing things in her mind before she looked up at the lady again. "Do you think you could pick somebody else? I have to decifer the writing style of my friend and, more importantly, weigh the possibilities in the processes she specified to determine whether or not this pending plan will be a sucess."

Most everyone's jaws dropped. Not only did this girl use a lot of big words, but she said no to a teacher. And the teacher didn't seem mad!

The teacher looked very thoughtful and gave a nod, ponting to a girl who sat next to Winter. "You, go do the problem on the board."

Taking the desk which was now vacanted by the girl who had left to do as the teacher commanded, she spoke again to Winter. "Let me help." After scanning the papers which her pupil had then handed to her, she continued in approval. "Well, this looks like it should work, but only if the kidnappee is very naiive."

Winter accepted the papers back with a warm smile, "Then we have nothing to worry about. Can I go hand out copies of this to all my friends who need it?"

Adjusting her glasses, the Fiction Writing teacher stood up to go correct the problem on the board. "Oh go ahead, dear," she said, "Have fun."

* * *

"I got it!" "Pass it to me!" "I'm open!"

These were the general phrases shouted between friends while they kicked the football (soccer ball for those who understand not) around the stadium green, short, still dew covered grass in the football field. One of these such people was a teen wearing a pinnee for the blue team, running with the football faster than anyone else. His name was Vic, and he was playing the position of striker.

He passed the ball to one of his teammates, but continued to run toward the opposing goal. This was probably best, as the ball was kicked back to him right as the goalie began to lean on one side of the goal to pick his nose, and he kicked the black and white sphere into the net with a whoop of triumph.

"GO VICTOR!" Came a very loud shout from the edge of the field. At the beginning of class the teacher had simply plucked her pupils from the gym, placed them outside and given them a football before sitting on the bleachers to work on her tan in the morning light. Most of the students played anyway, hence the game, but the rest of the students, mostly the girls, sat on the sidelines and either talked or cheered on the game. The girl who was cheering on Vic was actually Kori, if that even needed to be specified, and she was grinning like a madman and waving to her friend on the field.

He waved back at her. They then resumed the game.

"Aw, sit down, Kori," Betty said with a slight yawn, she had awakened late that morning but still was tired. Apparently she had stayed up late on the computer working on some project or another, but the instant messaging boxes that were popping up all over the screen the night before did not help her story, "Let the guy play."

"But I was aware that this - 'cheerleading' - is an important part of the sport, no?" Kori seemed a bit confused.

Betty had opened her mouth to reply that, no, cheerleading sucked and that Kori would make a fool of herself if she continued to do so, when a blonde and red haired head came bobbing up towards them on the head of a girl who was running.

"Winter!" Kori said excitedly as the girl came close enough to be positively identified, "Would you like to lead in cheers with me?"

Winter grimaced at the idea. She would much rather be out in the field playing football, even if it was with the guys, than be sitting on the sidelines yelling out boys names and "Go" or "Yay" every few minutes. She would have loved to stay anyway, but she didn't get out of Fiction Writing for nothing.

Discreetly she handed a paper to Betty. "It happens this afternoon," Winter whispered into the black girl's ear, "Give a copy to Vic." She nodded and Winter stood and said her goodbyes.

"I would love to stay, Kori, but I have much work to be done and it must be done before second period. Have fun cheering."

The goodbyes were short and Winter, once again, was running. Except this time her direction had changed to that of the school.

Victor then came close to the sidelines with a questioning look on his face.

"What the heck is going on?" He asked, "Was that Winter?"

* * *

In Lemington school, students are known for one thing. Not paying attention. They are also known for their integrity and their immense skill in basketball, but the one thing that flowed faster than gossip was the apathy towards their classes. A very simple way to illustrate this point is to just point out a few people in a few classes.

In this maths class, for example, there are three students having a conversation while the teacher is lecturing. Actually, there are more than three; practically the whole class was talking under the teacher's nose, and a very big nose he had, but we will be paying closer attention to those we have most information on; Emily, Garfield, and Speedy.

Aren't we lucky that our friends got put into classes together? Heh... heh...

"I'm telling you," Garfield was saying to Speedy, "She doesn't like you."

Speedy was indignant. Amoung other things. "Well if she doesn't like me then Raven doesn't like you."

Emily, who had mostly been zoning out throughout this conversation, suddenly sat alert to hear what Speedy had to say. Raven didn't like Gar? This was a big development.

She didn't say anything but still listened. "That's harsh, Speedy," Gar was saying, "That's really harsh."

Speedy was triumphant. "It's true, though. She likes me more than the dark chick likes you anyway."

Emily was now very confused. And a little bit confuzzled. And even more just... lost. (just not like the tv show. GO LOST!) "What are you talking about?" She asked. The way that their desks were set up, as they didn't have assigned seats, were Speedy and Gar sat next to each other in the last row and Emily sat in the desk in front of Garfield. So when Emily turned around she turned to see a surprised looking green man looking back at her.

They both began to speak at once. What they said was very confusing so I will try to make it make sense. Speedy believed that Kori liked him and if he were to ask her out she would be delighted. And that's the jist of it you know, just fill in the blanks and the entire conversation makes sense.

The short blonde was this close (holds up to fingers to show how close) to telling them that Garfield was right and Speedy was wrong, when a knock came on the door.

And a blonde and red haired dudette entered, face red and panting, before handing Gar and Emily both a packet of paper and exiting the room.

* * *

"And this class is just," the dark boy seemed to be searching for the right word, and he found it, "pointless."

Vesta nodded her head, eyes wide, and said, "Dude, that is so deep."

The two just sat there at their lab table, staring off into space and lost in their own brains, when a ruddy faced teacher came and stood in front of them.

"ARE YOU TWO DONE YET!" He boomed, speaking of the experiment he had commanded the class to preform in the beginning of the period, and, of course, they had yet to touch anything. Lemington school's kids were not only apathetic, though, they were blatant.

"No," Achilles said, barely changing the look on his face. Vesta nodded to agree with his statement.

"Oh," the teacher said, walking away from the table in a dazed sort of way, "That's good then."

I would like to say that Winter waltzed in at that very moment with papers on the plan to capture Kori and get that girl together with Rich Grayson but, painfully, I must regrettably say that when she had been outstide the door was the very moment that the teacher had yelled at Vesta and Achilles about the experiment. She had yelped, turned around, and hid in a corner for the period to end so that she could give the plan to them in the hall. No way in this alternate reality was she going to go into some science classroom and get yelled at by a REALLY loud teacher.

* * *

**WHENICOMEAROUND**: Dude! Sweet! Dude! Sweet! Dude! Sweet! (I can go on like this forever, you know.) Thanks for the review, even if you haven't finished it yet. That's fine though. I haven't finished your stories either. shrugs We'll both get around to it eventually. One of these boring computer classes you know... lol

**Rose**: Yes. Kitten sucks and we should all pity Rayne for being stuck in a room with her. I feel really sorry for her. but not sorry enough to do anything about it yet. :-d thanks for reviewing! and for reviewing my other story!

**Golden-Sama**: hehehe. Yay! you found the story!Dude, I too usually hate truth or dare games in fics. And so I was REALLY hesitant to do it, but I got Caitlyn and my other friend Hillary to help me get interesting dares that wouldn't be just the same boring thing over and over again. I can't stand it when couplings are supported by dares. It doesn't happen that way! (lol)  
What does kudos mean? I hear it a lot but it's just sort of like the whole AU thing. it took me forever to figure out what it was. Cheese is nice, during my proficiency exam (for french) which I have to take the speaking part for on next thursday, I am going to speak of cheese. When she asks me my favourite colour I shall smile and say "J'aime le fromage." I must say that I am strange.  
You write strange and scary reviews? Don't make me laugh. I'm smiling, but I do not wish to laugh. Okay, maybe I do... Dude! I can't stay on topic anymore! (grr lol)  
There is BBRae planned, but (major spoiler here) not a lot in the next two chapters. (shh! don't tell anyone! lol)  
And you keep typing as though you had a british accent because british accents are awesome and really really fun! I must post this chapter now so I am going to stop writing all this. :-d It's cool to have a stalker! (hahaha)

**Allaloneinthedarkandstillhere**: umm... OKAY! Hope you liked the update :-d It was sort of a boring chapter but things will eventually get better... eventually...

* * *

**note**- hmm. This chapter sucked. I think that all of my chapters suck but maybe it is just me. Thank you, though, everyone, because I have NEVER ever gotten so many reviews. If you look in my profile you'll see for yourself. Heh.. Anyway, you know that you wanna review more. You KNOW that more reviews make longer chapters. So please review. Make a poor writer happy. She ran all the way to Lemington school to hand out the plans for the kidnapping of Kori and the getting together of Kori and Dick and she's begging you now to just click the little button at the bottom and make her happy. Okay, then. Next update is **May 5. **(wow, I started this story in march and it's already May. I fell so accomplished or something like that)

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Eight (part I)"  
The first half of chapter eight shall skip the rest of the boring schoolday and get onto the goodstuff : the evil plan and the kidnapping. It's guarenteed to be at least a little bit funny and I think that it shall be enjoyable. So turn on your modem and pay your electricity bills; make sure that you're ready for it!


	10. Eight part1

**Chapter Eight (part I)**

* * *

_In the corner of the café typing away at her fanfiction, Winter had an especially sour look on her face. Her empty water bottles did not cover the table beside her laptop, though, because instead she had a bottle of medication which clearly stated the word "ibuprofen" and a big coffee cup which looked like it contained something of the chocolate coffee kind.  
John, the waiter, seemed to be concerned of her strange mood tonight, though he remembered the last time that she had been in this state (the mourning of the rating changes) and this time was prepared. He walked up to her and gave her another mug, this one full to the brim with the same substance as in the other one, and took the other one away. Upon returning once more, he asked her,  
_"_So what's with the ibuprofen and the coffee?"  
__He was almost afraid to ask, but he did.  
__Winter heaved a dramatic sigh. This scene was looking all too familiar to John. He was getting a little creeped out…  
_"_Have you ever gotten a filling?" Winter said with a slight lisp, stopping her typing to look up at the young man.  
__He replied proudly. "Nope. All clean!"  
__Winter shook her blonde and red head. "Then pray you never do," she said sadly, "They're hell and they make it hurt to drink water."_

Kori had just finished her struggle through a long, excruciating day at school when she approached the door to her dorm room. Well, actually, it wasn't all that bad to tell you the truth. She had quite enjoyed nearly every aspect of it - from the new experiences that dotted her day (such as cheer leading), the knowledge gained from the already smart teachers, and especially Dick's surprise of walking her to her second period class - and was in a particularly good mood. But the first sentence in a chapter would be terribly boring if it had started out to be GOOD. I mean, that would be sickly sweet or something.

The redhead put her key into the doorknob, twisting it until she satisfyingly heard the click which signified its now unlocked state. She was alone in the hallway but with the big smile she carried on her face, one who was reading this may have made the mistake that she wasn't. It all was fine; Betty would be inside the room working so she would have someone to talk to upon her entrance.

As she opened the door she realized that her guesses were not accurate but they weren't far from the truth either. Betty was sitting at the desk which held her computer, but, though she was typing furiously, she was not working. One could only make the mistake that her typing was work related if they did not know computers well or did not see the multiple instant messaging pop ups all over the screen which she hopped between.

"To whom are you typing such long and furious messages to," Kori asked curiously. Betty stiffened at the question, having not heard her roommate enter, and quickly closed all of her instant messaging boxes; making them stop popping up by clicking an away message to displau.

"Oh, nobody special," she said, standing up with a look on her face that clearly said she was trying to think fast; rolling through her brain like a steamroller, trying to figure out what she was supposed to say.

The two stood together like that for a few moments; Kori right inside the door, staring off into space, and Betty still with a look of immense concentration plastered across her features. She was not normally one to forget things, but it wasn't lack of memory which plagued her. Instead she was trying to find the perfect way to carry out her part of the plan - there had been no specifications and a lot of it was complete improvisation.

After those few moments, Betty's face lit up as if a thought bubble had appeared and the light bulb had clicked on in her head.

"Hey Kori," the black girl began, "I'm gonna go visit the guys over at Lemington. Do you wanna come? We got some fun stuff planned." Betty prayed that Kori would not ask what KIND of fun stuff was planned.

She tried to make her voice and fight convincing. If Kori didn't come then her part of 'the (master) plan' would fail, and, in result, the people in Lemington's part of 'the (master) plan' would fail, and in response the whole bloody thing would result in the colossal demise of what everyone had been praying for since the first person who liked the RobStar coupling said that the two were in love ---

Their 'getting together.'

Betty need not have worried so much. Kori exclaimed, grinning and looking alive, "What a wonderful idea! We shall leave immediately!"

Kori then put her book bag on her bed; a purple single with many pillows, before presently beginning to hum and randomly clean up the room.

Betty stared, not moving from her spot only turning her head to see what Kori was doing, her eyes wide, and asked, "Um… Girl?" Kori did not answer her but she still continued with, "Why are you so… happy?"

The redhead was not fazed. "Today is a glorious day! Besides, is it not customary to appear cheerful when told you are visiting your friends?"

With a furrow of her eyebrows Betty replied in a strange voice; she was not quite used to Kori yet, "Yeah, but girl you're just…" she went silent for a little while, trying to find a word which would adequately deliver the correct message she wished to present, "exuberant."

Kori, who seemed to be finished with whatever tasks she was carrying out in the room, went up to Betty, who still stood with her feet planted in the same spot they had been when she had entered the room, with a huge smile on her face. She excitably took hold of the other girl's arm, but before she dragged her out the dorm room door she exclaimed,

"Then I am doing _exceptionally_ well, am I not?"

* * *

Lemington school is not very far from Harrisfield school. Both are boarding schools, as was practically spit out at you, the reader, during the previous chapters, but I, the writer, tend to reiterate facts more than once to push the point through. Our main characters attend either one of these schools, and only few parts of this story take place outside of these walls. I also find that reiteration is often out of the context. In this case, strangely, it is entirely in context, except the part about reiteration being out of context. I shall now continue with this very hurried chapter.

It did not take very long for the two girls (aka Betty and Kori) to find their way to the other school, Lemington, due to that short distance first mentioned in the last paragraph, and before they knew it they were standing in front of a dorm door alien to Kori, though Betty had led her there.

"My friend Betty," the green eyed, red haired girl looked a bit questioning, and not in the innocent, curious way but in the 'are-you-bullshitting-me' way, "Why are we standing in front of the door to a room of someone whose acquaintance I do not believe I have yet made?"

(woa. There was a lot of big words in that sentence… I must move on now, though, otherwise I am going to run out of time.)

Before our poor dear Betty could even open her mouth to answer, the door crashed open (though it was opened properly. It only seemed to crash because it made such a noise). In place of where the door had been, there now stood a very happy blonde with red tips and streaks who had the answer that Betty was looking for.

"Kori!" Winter exclaimed, not trying to hide her excitement, "Hey, how your doin', I hope you didn't have any trouble getting here." The crickets chirped and both of the girls in the hall just looked at her blankly. "Sorry, I guess you've never been here before - most people haven't - but I must introduce you to where we're gonna be hanging out today. I give you (she walked back to reveal the room behind her) Achilles' dorm."

There is no other way to describe the room which she showed them except blatently. Achilles' room was pink; happy bunnies (and not the 'goth' kind) and purple hearts galore. There was a pink and purple swirly rug which had been laid on the floor and even the bedspread on the single bed and the curtains were a shade of red.

And none of the colours clashed with one another. This is a miracle in itself.

I would like to say that, like the opening paragraph of this chapter, I, the writer, was just messing with your, the reader's, mind by saying this, but unfortunately, in this case I cannot. Achilles' room looked like an add for a Valentine's Day company and that was the God's honest truth.

Kori and Betty, still standing in the hall, both became wildly surprised. Both of the eyes on both of their faces grew wide enough to be teacup saucers, or maybe eggs, and they stared at the pink oblivion that was Achilles' room until Rayne, who walked up to them, snapped them out of it.

"Come on," she said, ignoring the fact that everything was pink and that the girls were staring, almost stupidly, at it, "We don't want to stand in the hall. Hall, bad. Room, good."

Betty put on a sheepish grin, remembering why they were here and what was going on (see, she knows more than what you guys know! HAHAHA!), and Kori followed everyone into the room, still in a slight daze. She broke out of it, though when she asked,

"Then were is our friend Achilles? Should we not wait for his permission to enter his living quarters?"

"I'm right here," a low voice said from the doorway which still stood open. When everyone turned to look, he was standing there, trademark black ghost shirt in place, looking slightly annoyed. Vesta stood a little behind him - the doorway is not a comfortable place to stand two people - and she also looked a bit agitated, though for a different reason.

"And we're going to leave in just a couple seconds," She said, hinting with almost no mask to her male friend in front of her, "Aren't we?"

"Yeah, yeah," he murmured, entering the room completely and heading over to a bookshelf where he retrieved a few video games from the bottom shelf. Kori came up behind him and began a friendly conversation while the other three girls spoke in hushed whispers between each other.

"Hello!" she said brightly before spewing out questions like mad, "Do you like marshmallows? What size shoe do you wear? Have you ever played truth or dare with Winter? Do you wish to meet Silkie? Will you be my new friend?"

"Um… I.. don't know?" Achilles seemed to be a tad intimidated by Kori's everlasting questions and happiness.

"Is your favourite colour pink? What are you-"

Kori's new stream of questions was quickly interrupted by Achilles.

"No!" he said, monotonously but with some certain force behind it, "What made you think that?"

The redhead looked around to make sure that she remembered what she had seen earlier. In confirmation of herself she nodded, then she answered, "Your room is pink. Why would you pick such a hue if you did not like the colour?"

"My room _isn't_ -"

Achilles was interrupted by Vesta's hand suddenly reaching over and clapping itself over his mouth. Apparently she and the other girls had stopped talking amongst themselves long enough for Vesta to realize what was going on.

"Yes it is," she answered for him, "His favourite colour is pink."

At this Achilles squirmed and spazzed under her grasp but she would take none of it. With Kori smiling and waving goodbye happily to her them, Vesta dragged the dark boy out of the room. Once they were in the hall she let go of him and apologized.

"Sorry," She said, "But I couldn't let you tell her something that would ruin 'the plan.'"

He rolled his eyes in response, and they began to walk. Soon, though, he remembered something and reached his hands up to his head to fix his shaggy black hair which had become disheveled during their little escape art (or, if preferred by you, the reader, Achilles' kidnapping from his own bedroom).

Vesta grinned at this in an almost childish way and said, in an also almost childish voice that went perfectly with the facial expression, "Hehe, you're a bishi! Gotta take care of your hair!"

* * *

Waiting for Achilles and Vesta to return, Garfield became immensely bored. Okay, well, as bored as he could get with Raven around. Yes, Raven was sitting on the couch, the couch which fit pretty snugly in his small one person room, reading a book and ignoring his antics.

"Hey Rae," he said, watering plants as he jumpily went around the room. There were not many, but there were a few green shoots sitting in pots around his room; going with the whole forest-esque theme he had chosen for it, "Which came first? The chicken - or the egg?"

Raven did not roll her eyes, as would be expected, and her answer was not too incredibly sarcastic. It was, however, monotonous.

"I don't have the lack of brain-power it takes to discuss theology and creation with you," she said, shutting her book with a yawn, "And my name is Raven."

This response practically urged the slightly green boy on. For once in his life Raven had not snapped at him or even become noticeably annoyed at his ways, she had even shut her book which was a sign that she wanted to talk to him, and he was alone with her. This was like a miracle came true.

Gar put down his watering can and sat down on the couch. It wasn't a big couch like Victor and Dick's, mind you, just a simple normal three seater which would be found in a normal living room, so there was not too much of a distance between the two teens.

"So, Ra-a-a-a-ven," he said, "Knock-knock."

This was when she did roll her eyes, opening her book up. All hope of this conversation was hopelessly lost, but Gar didn't give up.

"Come on," he coaxed, "You know you want to. Knock-knock."

"If I answer will you leave me alone?"

"Ra-a-a-ae," the boy whined, "Why?"

The almost violet haired girl raised an eyebrow. "It should be self explanatory."

Garfield pouted and stood up to finish watering his plants. But that didn't mean he was going to give up. He had been too close to getting her to talk to him to let this opportunity pass by.

"Okay," he said, raising up a stalk of his aloe plant and dripping water under it, "So why did the chicken cross the basketball court?"

* * *

Victor tiptoed around the common room, even though he was the only one present. Keeping low, he did not want to be caught if Dick did choose this moment to approach, he crept to the door which led from the common room to Dick's personal room and, once there, tacked a small note to the wood.

"Mission accomplished," Victor whispered in congratulations to himself. His job in 'the (master) plan' was simple; plant the clues and sort of keep an eye out to make sure that the always sunglasses wearing boy found them.

This was the part where he planted them.

The first clue was a riddle. Not a very good one, but it used a lot of big words and Vic knew that it would take a few moments for Dick to understand them all. He knew what it meant, though, and it meant that Dick was supposed to find the next clue in the dining hall under the table which they sat together at every day for breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner.

From what Victor had read in the plans that Winter had handed him only that morning, it was a pretty elaborate plan that worked almost entirely on chance and the performance of their friends.

The tall and bulky African American was about to leave the room to set the next clue when he saw his PSP lying on the couch. It was too much of a temptation; it just sitting there - I mean, how could he NOT take it with him?

Grabbing the hand held console, video and music player, he set off once more to set the plan in motion.

If he'd had the time, Victor would have stayed to spy on Dick, but he had other 'clues' to set up. He just wished that he didn't have to pass up such a delectable opportunity to see the look on Richard's face when he read the words on his door:

"Someone amicable to you,  
We took her far away,  
Search ye near and far,  
You'll only find her our way.  
The underside of where  
The beginning of digestion is set,  
Is where to begin your search  
For where the redhead is kept."

* * *

**Golden-Sama**: YES! There is BBRae Planned, no worries 'bout that, mate! I actually planned the scene where they whispersget together! SHH! don't tell anyone! It's a coughcough surprise! Even though it practically comes out and tells you that in the bloody summary. When I wrote the chapter I wasn't thinking of Feris Buler's Day off (I can't spell and I am too lazy to check) but now that you mention it...  
Oui, je comprends vous, et moi n'utilise pas un traducteur pour vous parler! What foreign language do you take then? looks scared you arent a... spanish student are you! lol.  
Update... hmm... that sounds like a good idea, but I think I shall wait until your blood boils... Or maybe until YOU update! hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge

**Caitlyn and Hill**: Rachel Rachel Rachel! I'm going to mention her in the next chapter. It's going to be fun! Can't wait for the great race thing to begin... I don't know what to say I'm not in a very good reviewing mood right now I guess so there isn't much for me to say. So i'll see you guys tomorrow!

**Rose**: Ow. I would hate it if the fire alarm went off that much. At my school we have a really annoying bell, though. It sounds like a cross between a fog horn and.. some big loud thing. Lol. Hear my great description. Thanks for reviewing!

**scathac's warrior**: umm, there will be a few funny bbrae moments in the next few chapters, but I don't BELEVE (though i'm not sure yet) that they'll actually get together till around chapter twelve or thirteen. And I don't think we'll have a plan for that one but there will be a bbrae plan. thanks for the review!

**Queen-of-Azarath**: It makes me really happy that you liked my story - and I love it when I review somebody's story and they find me. It makes me happy. Yeah... I'm just a happy personI suppose. I don't have much time so I can't write much, but I love you're reviews and I hope you liked this chapter!

**Tidus'luvr**: SHHH! Don't tell anyone, they'll get jealous. LOL! Heh heh. I can't wait until TROQ and the Prophesyl; stupid canadians get it before us - how many times have I said that I should move to canada but NOOOO they don't let me cuz they wanna move to long island! grr. lol

* * *

**-note**- so terribly sorry it is so short. I dislike shortness but I don't want to say too much as my plan for 'the (master) plan' will almost positively be changed. I hate doing this and leaving you with very little to read but I only have a week to write, and, as described in the next author's note, I must have relapses in between chapters or the inspiration will die and then the story will die and… all that jazz.

**-note**- Hehe! Anyways, This is where I go back to my own little world, drink a little water, read a couple of fanfictions and pretend that I really am not writing this story until right before I have to update again (which will be **MAY 12**, by the way). I really have to get out of that habit. These updates are becoming steadily worse in my opinion. And this is also where you go down to the bottom of the page and leave me a nice, long, happy review. Reviews make my writing worthwhile. If I gain no reviews then I get really bored and the story dies. AND WE DON'T WANT TO LET THE STORY DIE! There's only about 20 (actually, the number's closer to 23) chapters left for me to write, and, even though this story will not be completed till at least next October at the rate (later if I add any more chapters) I'm going to need some mental pickups if I want to finish it. So please tell me whether or not it's worth it. Or just leave me a review. Reviews make me happy. big puppy dog eyes Please?

**POLLS AND QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED IN THE REVIEW! (hint hint - review!)**

1. Which would be worse? Listening to pop music 24/7 for a year or singing it for a living?  
2. Are there any specific scenes which you think should be added to this story? (If so, tell me what they are)  
3. When is your birthday? (there's actually a reason for this, too!)  
4. What is 2 + 2?  
5. Where are you going to be (or, if reading this afterwards, where were you) on May 9th 2005 at 6:30 PM?

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Eight (part II)"  
Actually, so that you will not be disappointed when this is wrong, I will simply say that the next chapter's content may become dependent on the outcome of the new Teen Titan's episode TROQ. If it sucks, though, (TROQ I mean) the next chapter will most certainly not become dependent on its content and it will come entirely from my brain. With a little bit of help (okay, prolly a lot) from all of my adoring coughcough fans!


	11. Eight part2

**note**- For Queen-of-Azarath I present this chapter. Yay! Her and Troq. The episode, not Starfire. I didn't use the episode (as much as I had been expecting to) for the inspiration for this, but it was still a good episode. Bon Literary! (that was v. bad franglais. Heh.)

* * *

**Chapter Eight (part II)**

* * *

"_How did you find me?" The blonde and red haired girl looked horrified; backing into the corner of the brick wall. It was the outside of the café and she held her notebook PC, better known as her laptop, clasped to her chest to protect it.  
__In front of her stood a shadowy figure, though it was apparent that the person was a girl. She did not come closer as to scare the girl any more, but she did reply.  
_"_Why does that sound so familiar, Winter?"  
__The girl seemed pensive for a moment, trying to remember when she may have said that before. Then, as if a lightbulb had been turned on in her mind, her face lit up in remembrance.  
_"_Chapter Seven!" Winter cried, now understanding that she was practically replaying what had happened only one and one half chapters beforehand, "Rae tracked me down and I asked her about it. But that doesn't let you get out of answering me either!"  
__If the person's face were able to be seen, she would have probably been raising an eyebrow or possibly shrugging. But she didn't keep how she had gotten to find her a secret.  
_"_You put me here. You should know."  
__Or maybe she did keep it a secret. Winter nodded as if she understood though in truth she really did not, then, once again, the lightbulb of knowledge and recognition got turned on.  
_"_You're Queen-of-Azarath!" the incomplete blonde exclaimed while the figure seemed to have an expression on her face stating 'who is this dumb blonde anyway?' though she could not really be seen, "Well I'm going inside to write the next chapter but do you want a water?"_

As so many other chapters, stories, rants and other pieces of work begin; even if they are simply second parts to a chapter as this is, I will start with the weather.

September 3rd, still considered a day of summer, was just as that day should have been and would have been pictured on a scenic calendar. The sky was a velvet colbat blue; painted with streaks of an even lighter hue of the colour, almost white, to be clouds. Nothing in the horizon predicted any sort of unwanted weather, and no one expected it. The day was such as which that many did not even give a passing pensive thought about what the weather was like.

On the trees dotting street corners, accenting the fronts of homes and filling the courtyards and parks of both Lemington and Harrisfield High Schools, the leaves were beginning to change. Most were still a green healthy colour, but others became the oranges, reds, and browns that proved the season that they were living in. None fell to the ground yet, though there were some that teetered dangerously close to doing so, and underneath one of these very trees filled with slowly changing branches a girl sped at an equally dangerous rate.

Her blonde hair was tied up with a thin scrunchie, or, if you will, hair tie, which was very unusual for her. Mostly she wore her hair down, even though it was long and got on her nerves, but it appeared that she was training for track or something. Actually, that was exactly what she was doing - training for the spring track team - at least until she looked at her watch and realized exactly what time it was. That had been the impetus to rush back towards Lemington School, hoping that everything else had gone according to plan and that Winter wasn't too ticked off at her loosing track of time (no pun intended).

Out of the corner of her eye, Emily, because that was who she was, not Terra for those of you who believed wrongly, could have sworn for a moment that she'd been able to discern Dick slinking stealthily by a tall fence across the street, but when she turned to get a better look, the lurking figure was gone. She thought nothing more about it as she sped up toward the boarding school she attended.

Not even five minutes later, Emily was pulling the hair tie out of her hair inside the door to Achille's room, shaking out her straight locks, and returning it to its original place. Her face was an almost rosy hue, and with the sweat dripping down her temples and her hair being as tangled as it was, it seemed as though the weather she had been running in had been turbulent instead of gorgeous.

Betty and Winter had much more important things to worry about than the state of their friend. They were fighting over boys. More specifically, what made boys look hot. Rayne and Kori, who both sat on the red covered bed, did not bother listening as they were (or at least Kori was) completely and totally engrossed in the movie, but Emily listened.

"That is so-o-o dumb!" Betty snapped with attitude. Only the black girl could say that very phrase and make it sound stylish, "Guys with that long hair look like rats!"

"Rat's hair doesn't grow that long," Winter shot back, trying to catch her.

"The point is, they look like animals!"

"Animals are hot!"

After catching the phrase, Emily ran to the two fighters and intervened with vigor. "I get Beast Boy!"

The two who had been fighting; standing in front of each other with their arms crossed under their chests in mock anger, looked at the blonde girl now - expressions of anime sweat drops filling their features.

"Who the hell is Beast Boy?" Betty raised an eyebrow, looking at the blonde who stood in front of her who had suddenly realized her multiple mistakes. Emily through a look of pleading towards Winter.

The blonde and red haired girl began to think. This was going to be hard to get out of if she didn't think quick and give a good answer. Then it came to her. An answer that could be backed by Rayne if she needed it to, and a quite clever one at that.

Winter turned to the dark featured girl standing beside her and spoke. "She meant Ponyboy. He's the main character in "The Outsiders." When we were talking about long hair she must have thought of him and made the mistake."

The moment Winter had mentioned "The Outsiders," Rayne's ears had perked up and she had come over to them in a flash. Could you guess what her favourite book is? Naw, of course you couldn't; it's only incredibly ridiculously obvious.

"The Outsiders!" Almost as a begging puppy dog, Rayne stood and watched them converse with wide eyes as they discussed.

Betty did not seem completely convinced at Winter's answer, but shrugged it off and went back to their friendly feud. Rayne did not stay for long while they continued their conversation, seeing that the book was not their main topic, and Emily soon got bored because she would be likely killed by Winter for speaking again and it was just the two of them ranting back and forth at each other anyway. No point to watch.

"But long hair is wicked sexy!" Winter said.

"Guys with long hair have no personal hygiene," Betty replied rebelliously.

Winter grinned evilly. "You're only saying that because you think that bald looks hot on Vic," and Emily did not stay to hear any more because she was migrating towards Rayne, who stood on the side of the fairly commodious room furthest away from Kori, pouring drinks. She did hear the sound of Betty's screech that was her next reply, but the words were zoned out of Emily's brain into the oblivion that is dorm walls.

"Hey Rayne," Emily said, approaching the redhead, "How far are we now?"

She was referring to 'the (master) plan' and Rayne knew it. She looked around silently to make sure that no one would hear her saying this, then whispered "Now," into Emily's ear. The blonde could guess that by "Now," she had meant that, inside the drink for Kori would be found a sleeping tablet - though only enough of one to keep her asleep until they needed her awoken.

They, together, took the cup to where Kori would have been seated happily with a wistful look on her face, but for some reason she was not where she had been. Instead her head lay gracefully on the red satin pillowcase; sleeping soundly and waiting for her prince charming.

Rayne and Emily faced each other; both of them with their eyebrows at the near top of their foreheads. The redhead was the first to speak.

"That was… easy enough."

* * *

When Victor had hoped to be able to see the look on Dick's face when he read the note, he was hoping that the boy would freak out, begin to run around in circles, call everyone he knew to try to find Kori, and possibly even cry. Results from the video camera the black boy had set up had later proved, though, that his reaction had not proved to be too bad.

While he did call quite a few people from his mobile to gain clues, he did not flip out or anything. Our boy is quite the genius I must tell you. Barely five minutes after he had entered the room Dick was strolling right back out with his cell phone to his ear, listening to the voice echoing throughout his head from the portable minute speaker which he held in his hand.

The black haired boy had not even bothered to try Kori's cell, assuming that whoever was doing this was smart enough to take it from her, and then proceeded to call nearly everyone else he knew. Of course this yielded no result at first; Raven and Garfield both had their phones turned off and it sent him immediately to the voicemail boxes their phone services provided. He was listening to Raven's while he left the room and became just a little bit irked at both of their unavailability.

So, while he walked the paved path toward the dining hall, he tried Victor.

The black boy was not quite as keen on following directions as the rest of those who knew Winter's "plan" were. 'The (master) plan' clearly stated that all mobile devices should be either turned off for the day or that the person carrying the phone should not answer Dick's call. Vic did not spend any time checking his callerID, though, he simply flipped up his phone and made himself known. So when the spiky haired teen (who was not Speedy) called, Victor answered the phone; unknowing until it was too late. And you don't just hang up on your buddy.

"Hey, Vic's arm." Came the real, living, breathing voice of Victor Stone through the radio waves which transmitted into Dick's phone.

"Hello, what's up?"

We are not watching this scene from Victor's point of view, but if we were we would probably see the (american) football star tense up, sweatdrop, or turn pale. He was most likely thinking - 'OhcrapOhcrapOhcrapOhcrapOhcrapOhcrapOhcrapOhcrapOhcrap' - over and over again, willing his brain to create an elaborate lie to get him out of this mess.

"Uh… Nothing. And you?" He did his very best to keep his voice steady and natural.

Dick did not skip a beat. "I'm going on a treasure hunt. You wanna come?"

Victor, however, did. "Man, I would but I -- can't!"

"Really." Dick was very, very likely rolling his eyes under his dark pair of sunglasses, and he knew that something was up. Mr. Grayson is good at getting things out of people, though, so he continued, "What are you doin'?"

Victor was silent for a few moments before he replied. "I have a - uh - homewo- a - mm - DATE!"

The intense way that the boy said that through the phone caused Dick to pull his own phone away from his ear for a moment. Before he could even think of some clever comeback, Vic continued with his new battle.

"Yeah!" he said, "I have a date with - Betty!"

This completely threw Dick even more. Dude, Vic pulled a good excuse.

"You have a date with… Betty? You do mean Betty Eddens, right? You know, that girl you're always fighting with about something or another…?"

"…Boo yaw!" Victor said with as much fake enthusiasm he could muster, "Uh - Duh!"

Dick raised an eyebrow, completely speechless, and just sort of decided he'd have to hang up now. He managed to stutter out a few words before he left, but that was it.

"Um.. Alright, I'll, um, talk to you later… Have… fun."

Obviously Dick could not see it, but Victor was happily dancing under the slightly changing trees of the campus (he was near the other side) and congratulating himself. It took a lot of skill to get Dick Grayson to stutter.

The spiky black haired boy suddenly stopped in his tracks as he approached the dining hall. His face lit up and he changed the direction of his search.

Screw the clues, was his thought, though probably without the 'screw' part, I know exactly where she is.

* * *

Raven sunk even deeper into the couch where she sat. On her lap sat a large tome, looking like it dated back to the 16th century or so; probably old poetry or something in that general area. She was really getting into it, though, and could no longer be pulled away by the glaring light of the television screen where Garfield and Achilles now played a new game - the one that the dark boy had returned to his room, risking Winter's wrath, to collect.

Since it was a three person couch, she was squished at the end. At first she had been incredibly tempted to simply move to the floor or even the bed so that she would be more comfortable as her wonderful friends used every muscle and cell in their bodies to annoy her - okay, that was sarcasm, but what is new. She was seated next to Garfield, if you could call it sitting the way that she was so scrunched up, and beside him sat Achilles then Vesta.

Vesta was excitedly bouncing up and down, and it tested Raven's patience at first. Then she simply realized that the girl was just a female version of Garfield - with the exceptance that she was not vegan nor was she green - and eventually learned to ignore her the same way that she did him. Well, to say that she ignored him would be an understatement. For the most part that is. I mean, it really is hard to not give a guy some attention if he is squashed next to you on a couch and has previously asked you out on a sort-of date which you sort-of accepted.

The nearly violet haired girl would never admit that she would give her friend the time of day, but then she didn't have to. I, as the narrator, will do it for her-

:Shows scene of Raven choking the lights out of the writer for giving away such secret details:

Or I will simply move on to what happened during this part of the chapter. Heh. Good idea, eh loves?

Garfield whooped for joy. Raven lifted an eyebrow in response, not knowing what to make of his sudden outburst.

"What am I supposed to make of this sudden outburst?" She asked suddenly, monotonously.

The green teen (no rhyme intended) grinned, turning to Raven quickly and bear hugging her with the smile still on her face. He did not hold onto her for long but it was just long enough for Vesta, who had pulled herself away from the flashing lights to watch this and write it all down in her trusty notebook.

"I beat Achilles in Planet Invader! And I was right about how to get to level forty-seven!" He did a kind of dance while sitting on the couch while Raven stared at him. And she did not do this in a necessarily good way.

Before Raven's witty, sarcastic reply came, Achilles spoke. "No, I was right and you were wrong! Do we even have to get into it like yesterday?"

Wait for it… Wait for it… NOW!

"You're excited about… A video game?" came Raven's voice before Gar could begin to fight, "It goes to show that it doesn't take much to amuse a small mind."

Vesta had a sour look on her face. Apparently she did not like how this conversation was playing out. Time to spice things up a bit;

"Yeah," Vesta said in a chipper voice, keeping things optimistic, "You wanna play?"

"No, I abhor video games." Vesta began to write again, wanting to get everything down. "I do not wish to implicate myself with the corrosive annoyance that is they. Only simple minded wastrels spend as much time in front of the television as you do. It is a severely detestable practice."

"When I found out what you said I am so gonna have a good comeback for you!" Garfield exclaimed, feigning anger but not actually feeling it. Achilles simply stared, not understanding all of what was said but not mentioning anything about it. Vesta was raising her hand, as if in a classroom, and waving it wildly.

Raven looked at her questioningly.

"How do you spell implicate?"

She raised her eyebrow, and was about to answer, when Dick strode in the door. They all stared at him open mouthed as he approached the couch.

"Planet Invader!" he said, looking at the screen, "Sweet."

The four smooshed even more, making space for their friend though he should not have been there. That was not part of 'the (master) plan'!

"I-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-E," he said as he grabbed a controller, though he then noticed that no one else held the other one.

"Why are you all staring at me like that?" he said, looking to both sides where the others sat, "It isn't as if I walked in on you guys eating pizza, wearing my clothes and calling each other by my name."

Vesta had quite a strange look on her face. It seemed that she got something more out of what he was saying than he was. (as is everyone else who is READING this, but that does not matter)

Everyone on the couch relaxed a little bit, giving in to the power of the video games, but before they began to play, Dick got a sudden thoughtful look on his face. "Why does saying that make me think that I should be remembering something about it? It's almost like deja vu."

* * *

Winter sat cross-legged on the floor reading a book. She hadn't had a whole lot of time recently to just - relax and read. Before this whole alternate universe thing had started, that was a big chunk of her time every single day; just lounging around and reading, though usually the time was spent outside working on her lack of tan whether it was nice out or not. The book she was reading was science fiction and the author, she thought, had to be a whole lot smarter than her in all ways of planning and politics; his plans actually made sense.

The blonde and red haired girl scrunched up her face; that slightly depressing thought had urged her need for a good bottle of water. The problem was, Achilles seemingly did not share Winters everlasting dire need for bottled water; he did not hold a mini refrigerator in his dorm room stocked full of the stuff as she did, and she began to panic.

"Rayne," she whispered nervously to the girl who sat nearby her beside Betty. They were playing a card game; from the looks of it they were playing Old Maid.

(Starfire: Tell me, why is it bad to be the Old Maid? ßTROQ! Oh yeah!)

Turning her head, the redhead responded with her eyes. No, she is not psychic (though sometimes I do wonder about my friends. Lol) but anyone could clearly tell that she was saying 'what' when she looked over with her questioning eyes. Everyone was doing their best to keep as positively silent as possible as to keep their good luck running. Kori had fallen asleep on her own and they didn't want to have to drug her back into that state if, perchance, she woke up.

Emily also looked, but soon turned back to her J-14 magazine she was reading, also seated on the floor. She was reading an especially exciting article about ways to prevent blackheads from forming on the bridge of your nose. She was intrigued…

Winter tried her best not to hyperventilate - she did not want to get too loud and wake up Kori.

"I need," she said quietly, "A bottle… of water!"

Her eyes bugged; going as wide as saucers as the well known metaphor states. Rayne knew exactly that if this girl didn't get out of there soon, there would be big trouble. They needed water. And not just any water, bottled water, and they needed it fast.

"What's wrong?" Betty was a little concerned. See, she didn't quite understand the situation on hand.

Rayne shook her head, quickly putting all the cards in a pile; tidying up before she left and while she spoke, "She has a thing about water - I'll tell you later."

Betty was raising an eyebrow, but Rayne did not stop to explain any more. She pulled her blonde and red haired friend out of the room as quickly as possible; Winter's arm was draped around her shoulder and they got out, treating her as a time bomb which was, as the saucers were previously, a good way to state quite what a bad condition Winter was in.

After they had gone, shut the door and scurried down the hall, Betty turned to Emily and they locked each others eyes with scrupulous looks on their faces.

"Do you have - any idea what just happened?" the black girl asked.

Emily shrugged, a bit of apathy showing through as she turned to the next page of the magazine. "Nope."

Maybe it was the fact that Emily had said "nope" completely aloud; maybe it was Winter's little… thing… with water; and maybe Kori was just done sleeping, but right at that moment a loud groan like sound could be heard coming from the bed as the tall redhead stretched her limbs and sat up.

"Uh, oh," Emily murmured, and she and Betty exchanged glances once again. They didn't have the sleeping pills, Rayne had been entrusted with them, and there was no chance they'd get her asleep again after having slept for as long as she had. And there would probably be hell to pay when Winter found out.

Kori, not seeing the two girls peering at her from the end of the bed, looked around the room to see no one. She shrugged and pulled out her cell phone, punching in a few numbers.

"Friend Richard!" She said, nearly immediately; Emily and Betty groaned in defeat - the plan was done for, dead, over, but Kori continued to speak to her friend. "How are you?… Thank you!… I currently reside in Achilles' dorm room and I believe I have fallen asleep while partaking in the watching of movies…Really?…Why did you not come over to here? … Oh, that is quite all right! … That is a glorious idea! On their return, I will tell Winter, Rayne, Betty, and Emily immediately! … Room 340! … I will see you soon! Goodbye, Dick!"

It was at this moment, though, that Kori stood up onto the floor, and noticed the two sitting there.

"Friends!" She exclaimed, coming up to them, "Dick has requested that we join him in the eating of pizza! Would you like to accompany us?"

* * *

**crazybritoutforeangelooks**: Hi! Thanks for the review, though I'm not quite sure what it meant. :-d I'm glad that you liked it though!

**Queen-of-Azarath**: Yay! You updated and that made me happyI was wondering; isn't it a bother to write up all the answers to your reviews 'cuz you get so many? It's crazy for me even though I only get four or five a chapter and you, who gets at least twenty, has to do it every chapter. I usually do it right before I update and usually I am speeding up moments before I am allowed on the computer (I have limited internet time) so I don't write much. Heh. Maybe being a Queen makes things all easier (lol)

**sathac's warrior**: there WILL be Bbrae. And though I'm not sure exactly how (I have a good idea but I think it may be too corny for the story and may end up just writing a stupid fluffy oneshot about it) but I am going to get it to be funny, romantic, and not corny all at the same time. Think I can do it? I don't, but it's worth a try, eh love? Thanks for reviewing!

**Golden-Sama**: yay! High! Woops. That makes me sound like someone you should worry about. Um, I mean, HI! You know, I couldn't think of any jokes to put in for Gar to say and make them actually the randomness and almost stupidity that they are in the series whenever he tries. Heh. I try to make things funny but I haven't the brainpower. I was born to write depressing, angsty, cry all your tears short stories in which the main character dies. Well that's what I've been doing lately. Something like that anyway. Oh whatever. I am just going to stop blabbing on. Lol.

**Tidus'luvr**: Hi Hill! I don't know what to say because… Yeah! I was going to put the tongue thing in with you and Achilles but didn't have the time ( I am running out of time!) and I know that you will KILL me if I don't update tonight. Hell, I'LL kill me if I don't update tonight. Anyways… BB HUGGED RAVEN! HAHAHAHAHA… yeah. Lol

**Rose**: Did you like the new TT episode? Did you know that you have the same birthday as my friend Caitlyn? Did you know that if I don't stop typing soon I will eventually get blisters on my fingers and die? Well, that whole last sentence was kind of just BS, but hey, I'm not perfect. ;) Thanks for the review!

* * *

**ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS/POLLS/ETCETERA**:

Which would be worse? Listening to pop music 24/7 for a year or singing it for a living?  
In my case, I believe that listening to pop music would be worse than singing it. I LOVE to sing, so singing it wouldn't be so bad just because singing makes my happiness soar no matter what, but listening to it… yeah, and when you sing you don't really have to listen to it.

Are there any specific scenes which you think should be added to this story? (If so, tell me what they are)  
Um… I hope that I know what specific scenes I want in my future… but I don't. Lol.

When is your birthday? (there's actually a reason for this, too!)  
My birthday is January 20. The reason I asked you guys for this was so that I could write chapters for people's birthdays. If I missed your birthday already then I may just dedicate a chapter to you, so keep your eyes open even if I did miss you.

What is 2 + 2?  
Heh. Any of the following answers will be accepted (lol): 42, 22, 0, W, Weezer, fish… that's all I can think of. Oh yeah - 4 is a good answer too.

Where are you going to be (or, if reading this afterwards, where were you) on May 9th 2005 at 6:30 PM?  
TROQ BABY! If someone didn't get to see it there's another showing of it on Saturday , but still. Did you know that in Canada they got TROQ on the 6th and got The Prophesy on the 9th? DUDE! THERE WAS GOOD BBRAE! YES YES YES! giggles

**-note**- THANK EVERYONE FOR THE REVIEWS! MORE REVIEWS MAKE ME GIGGLE! I LOVE FLAMES BECAUSE I LOVE TO HAVE A VALID REASON TO DEBATE WITH SOMEONE! (don't flame me just to flame me though; that's boring.) SO MAKE ME HAPPY AND MAKE ME SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE REVIEW REVIEWS NEXT WEEK BY GIVING ME A YUMMY REVIEW! BYE TILL **MAY 19**! LOVE YA!

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Nine"  
Well this is actually telling the truth for once. Though it shouldn't be hard to guess what's going to happen in the next chapter. And no, not everyone is going to get together and have a big happy ending over pizza - though that would work if I didn't have another 20 (give or take) chapters to go - though they will all go out together. I mean; what's TT without pizza?


	12. Nine

**-note**- This one's for Golden-Sama. Happy Birthday! What does it feel like to be seventeen?… the world may never know. Heh heh. Or at least it seems like I won't. looks at calendar only 2 years, 8 months, and 1 day left. How can I wait that long?

**-note**- yep, there's some conflict in this one...and mushiness. And another obscure character. Can you guess which one? Oh yes. And a little better explanation of the AUC thing… Hm. The pizza place is based on a pizza place I used to go to before I moved. Kind of. Just parts of it, anyway.

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

Victor is very protective of his car. The sleek and shiny silver surface of the vehicle he build (mostly) by himself gave him pride, including his burglary system. If someone put too much pressure on the wrong spot it would howl like a donkey during mating season - loud enough for everyone who was not even nearby to hear. And imagine the fear stirring in that person's heart when they would see Vic jogging towards them with an evil look on his face when all they had done was lean on the door.

You can only guess what his reaction was when the suggestion of taking his car to drive them to pizza was.

"What!" he had exclaimed, and, after looking at all of the faces continued, "with, like, ten people? You gotta be kidding me! My baby can't take that kind'a pressure!"

So, in result of this and the fine weather conditions, they had decided to walk towards their destination; pizza.

"Shouldn't you two be… on a date or something?" Dick raised his eyebrows above the upper rim of his sunglasses at his two dark skinned friends as they walked along.

The large group of friends was slowly proceeding down the white paved sidewalk; crusted, broken and pushed around by protruding weeds and roots, most in their own separate minds. Well, not all of them. Mostly just Garfield, who, along with Victor's PSP (which he had, so kindly, stolen) was walking by himself, lagging behind the rest of the group.

In the head of the group walked Raven, Achilles, Rayne, and Winter, who were sharing a quite - erm - exciting discussion about theatre. Well, at the time it seemed exciting. Mostly it was just ranting about good plays and musicals; giving their own accordance of their exploits in the theatre area of life. All of them loved the drama part of art a good deal (though the other forms did not displease them) and found common ground which they could speak there.

A little ways behind them, graced with the incredibly less interesting topic of 'girl stuff,' were Betty, Kori, and Emily. But, mind you, when I say that Betty was there, that does not mean that she was actually participating in this 'girl talk.' She would comment on something that one of the other girls would say every so often, but the rest of the time she would float in and out of everyone else's conversations. One of these that she interrupted quite regularly was the conversation between Dick and Victor; talking about quite the opposite of Kori and Emily, the 'guy stuff,' "Cars." Just now, though, after Betty and Victor had begun a heated argument over the carburetors on Mercedes and Dodge Vipers, was when Dick dropped this comment.

Both of the friends' eyes bulged though for reasons that both intertwined and had differences. First of the ones that they shared was the fact that he was implying that the two of them would actually go on a date together. Sh'ya. Like that would ever happen (cough-hack-cough… excuse me.). Victor's bulged because now he would either have to explain 'the (master) plan' to Dick (bringing Winter's painful vengeance on him) or succumb to the wrath of Betty by saying that he did say it. Why was Betty's eyes bulging? She was just so damn confused, I tell you. Confuzzled as muffins can be.

This was where Victor had to make a choice. The choice mentioned previously in the last paragraph, as a matter of fact. He thought fast. He seemed to be doing a lot of that today; what with the whole '(master) plan' and everything. In his mind he was weighing his options and his eyes were trying to make contact with Winter's, the girl who started this whole mess (but did not get him into the dating part) to figure out what she wanted him to do about it.

A whole lot of good that did him. The season named girl was busy trying to distract Vesta who had spent the last five minutes getting Achilles to show her his tongue. She claimed that it was important to see if 'a Bishi' had a cute tongue - or at least something around that general area of topic. Winter was in no position to help Victor out.

So the African American Quarterback tried to lie.

"It was a different Betty…?" he tried. Unfortunately, Dick could read faces to see if people were lying. It probably was a good thing that he couldn't see Victor's face when the original lie getting him in this mess had started; who knows what would have happened.

Dick shook his head, a slight smirk coming through his face. "No it wasn't," he countered, "I asked you that myself. And you said specifically that it was Betty Eddens; our Betty Eddens."

The black girl turned to Victor and shouted at him, "YOU TOLD HIM WHAT!"

Vic ignored her and continued to argue with Dick, "You must have heard me wrong. I wouldn't say that!"

"No, I'm positive that is what you said. I have excellent hearing." Richard continued to poke at his friend (and not in the perverted way you perves!)

"SO NOW I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!"

"I did not!"

Mr. Grayson shrugged. "I remember it exactly as it happened. You told me that you didn't want to go on a treasure hunt with me because you had to go on a date. I asked you with whom and you informed me that it was Betty. I did not believe you at first but you insisted. Is this right?"

Betty looked like she was about to shout something else at Victor before he even spoke but stopped herself as if something had suddenly made sense in her brain. She made a look on her face as if to have suddenly understood everything in the world and then spoke in a much quieter voice than she would have originally.

"Yeah," she said, latching her arm to Vic's, "We were gonna go out tonight, but, man, this dawg can't keep his calendar straight. And 'sides, going out with you guys is fun."

Both the other boys looked completely flabbergasted. Betty was a much better actor than Victor was, and this was a very convincing scene.

So Dick's only solution was to begin to stutter again, and that was how the two left him, arm in arm. When they were out of sight Betty hissed three words to the larger boy that stroked fear in his heart. "You owe me."

Raven, seeing Dick's predicament, approached him while he walked and just listened to him speak for a few minutes. If you can call the gibberish flowing from his mouth in grim defeat speech.

The nearly violet haired girl patted Dick on the shoulder before returning to her original place and conversation. "Don't hurt yourself."

* * *

"Ten," Dick said to the seating lady at the entrance to the pizzeria. She was a teenager; probably only working here as a last resort, and popped chewing gum between her teeth while wrapping strands of fluorescent yellow hair around her finger. She was giving the friends an odd look.

"Yeah," she said, rolling her eyes and slowly getting off the stool on which her bum resided and walked to the part section of the dining area. It was empty, but one of the tables still had favours from the previous party (which of course they bypassed) and the lights were a bit dim. To the left of where everyone stood was another doorway (without any door) which led to a video game room.

Gar took this opportunity to sit down immediately on one of the seats and take the menu from the girl standing boredly beside them all. "We'll have two large vegan cheese pizzas, one vegan pineapple pizza and Doctor Pepper."

The green boy said this so confidently that no one interrupted him.

With a snap of her chewing gum and a look saying that she believed Gar to be stupid on her face the girl replied, "Uh, I'm not the waiter. He'll come later."

After dropping that comment she turned to leave. Everyone had some form of a nervous smile on their face as she disappeared back where she'd come and they were left alone. Now is when the yelling began.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!" Of course this outburst came from Victor, "WHAT IF SHE WAS THE WAITER? WE WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK WITH YOUR TOFU CRAP!"

"Hey," Winter said, trying to add the comic relief that would certainly not be used by Gar in this part of the chapter, "At least he got Doctor Pepper. Nobody can NOT like Doctor Pepper. I mean, it's the best -"

"So are you saying that I'd be fine with only something to drink?" Of course Victor was not mad at Winter (or at least not that we, at this time, know of), but he still had to blow off SOME of that steam.

A few people shrugged. One of them was Raven. "Fighting is pointless. Fighting over something that did not even occur is plain stupid."

Garfield, who certainly did not want Victor yelling at him any more, ran up to Raven and grabbed her arm, pulling it up into the sky as a coach would a wrestler after winning a match. "Hear, hear!" He exclaimed with enthusiasm, gaining a glare from the purple hoodied girl and the dark boy, Achilles, standing nearby.

"Come on everybody," he said with a grin, "Let's just sit down."

Luckily everyone followed his advice. No groans were even heard as the scraping of chairs being pulled away from the table was the resounding noise (though it also helped that no one really was complaining).

Raven sat between Achilles and Garfield. Chaos is not insured. This could be trouble.

Garfield, the fool that he is, made the first move (slaps Gar on head. Stupid, stupid Garfield).

"Hey Ra-a-ae," he said with seductiveness in his tone, "There's video games right over there. You know you wanna play 'em."

Raven rolled her eyes and raised one eyebrow a little bit. "You really have bad memory. Don't you."

He scrunched up his face, trying to remember what his dark friend was trying to jump start his brain to remember, but failed miserably. The green boy shrugged. "Yup."

"So you obviously do not remember how I mentioned to you quite how much I detest video games."

The green boy did remember. So he put on his best puppy dog face and tried to beg her. "Please Raven," he said in a small, almost whiny tone, "I'll be lonely if someone doesn't come with me."

Raven sighed, and for a moment Gar thought she would give in. Ha. Fat chance. He can't tell the difference between a sigh of exasperation and a sigh of giving up. That poor boy. "Then get Victor or Achilles to play with you," she droned.

Garfield pouted. Not to any extremity, but it was apparent that he did not get his way and was disappointed. Before long (less than thirty seconds) he began to squirm and began to beg his 'Goth' friend again, though this time for a different thing.

"Can you make sure that they get something without meat? PLEASE!" It was a relief to Raven to hear him ask her something other than to play video games.

"Why?" she asked monotonously, "Winter doesn't eat meat either; just ask her."

Raven shrugged and pulled a tattered old book from the pocket of her hoodie. This conversation was pretty much over. She flipped through the pages until she came to where she had left off that afternoon and began to read, hardly noticing when Gar hopped off to do whatever he wanted to do. The dull din of voices having conversations by her were lulling and, a few minutes later, a louder voice made her jump.

She looked to see who had approached and saw red hair. Long red hair. A very professional looking red suit over an incredibly muscular and a towel over an arm. And long red hair. (Bishi! )

He was speaking in a loud obnoxious voice, in a language that she could not comprehend. Kori obviously could, though, because she replied back in the same language and they conversed for a few moments before the female redhead turned to the rest of her friends (who were now staring) to explain.

"This is Twig!" she said excitedly, "He came to, upon our table, wait, and we have realized that he came from the same country as I - Tamaran!"

Well this made sense; they had the same hair (Long red hair) and his eyes were the same fantastic green that Kori's were. Not to ignore the fact that they both spoke Tamaranian quite fluently.

After taking their order, which, Raven noted, did include a vegan cheese pizza, Twig went away. (though that is quite obvious.) Kori was quite excited.

"Is it not wonderful that we have found a friend who is of the same nation as I?" Kori chattered to Dick who was sitting beside her, on and on, about her 'new friend Twig.' The poor tinted glasses wearing boy looked like he was about to barf. Or at least a little bit close. There was also a chance of him spontaneously combusting.

On the other side of the table, though, unaware (mostly) to Kori's talking, sat Winter, Rayne, Vesta, and Emily. They were trying to figure this whole thing out.

"But it's Twig!" Rayne said, "Twig's awesome!"

Emily shook her head. "You don't understand. Don't you remember how Starfire drooled over him in Betrothed? If he sticks around there'll be trouble."

Vesta did not seem to care. Rayne understood; she had understood from the point when he had appeared holding a notepad and asking (with a Tamaranian accent) if he could take their order, but, as she had said, who could not love Twig? Vesta grinned. "Twig's a bishi too!"

Winter rolled her eyes. "What happened to Achilles, exactly?"

"Nothing," Vesta said simply, "It's not like we're dating or anything." She then gasped at a thought that came to her mind, "But Achilles DOES have a cute tongue!"

Emily, Rayne, and Winter sweatdropped. (or would have if they were in an anime.) "Um," Rayne said, "That's good to know."

"Come on guys," Winter said, "Focus!" She was having trouble focusing herself. But it always makes you look better when you're the one who says it.

"So how'd he get in?" Emily asked, "I KNOW we don't have an AUC operative on Tamaran - and he wasn't on earth last time I checked."

Rayne was the one that came up with the answer to this one, "All right, think about it. It controls Alternate Universes but it's still a dream. In dreams really weird things can happen. Since some things, like where we are, is… regulated… by the controller, those things won't change from second to second like in a real dream. But if someone accidentally begins to think about another person I think that they might actually show up. We'll have to ask Ana when we get out of here, but now we just have to act on theory."

"You do realize that I may be the only one who understood that, right?" Winter asked Rayne.

Emily seemed a little indignant to this comment. "I did!" she said, not wanting to be out of the loop. Emily is smart; she probably did understand it. Or at least… most of it.

Vesta didn't care whether or not she was labeled as less intelligent. She understood what Rayne had said; she'd hung around Winter and the redhead long enough to understand how they spoke, but still just shrugged it all off.

"Okay then," Winter said, "We'll just have to keep an eye on everybody and make sure that Beast Boy doesn't wish Terra here or something…"

* * *

Twig wordlessly put the pizzas on the table with a captivating smile. He was about to walk away to go back to work but Kori stopped him in Tamaranian.

"Would you like to eat pizza with us?" she asked him in her native language.

He shook his head. Twig had work to do. He then wrote something on his notepad, tore it off and handed it to Kori before walking away. "Call me sometime," he replied in the same language.

Dick did not look but looking is not necessary when you know what something is. He was seething.

* * *

Garfield, after spending about half a pocketful of quarters on one player video games between brief bites of pizza and sips of soda, decided to try his luck once again.

"Hello, Raven," he said, planting himself on the seat beside her. Achilles was occupied by Vesta (not literally) on her other side so she wasn't busy, only reading one of her books.

She looked up briefly and nodded in greeting before returning to the words which seemed to captivate her.

"One game."

"No."

Raven had lashed out her answer at the green boy almost before he had even given her the request.

Gar whined. "Raven, it's not even really a video game. It'll be fun. Just one?"

"Thank you, but no."

Pulling his hands down his face in exasperation he tried, "Dude! What does it take to get you to play one measly game?"

Raven still did not move her face from the book. "A 'please' would be a good start."

Gar's face lit up and he regained his optimism - "Will you pretty, pretty PLEASE play a game with me? Vic's no fun!" -

Only to have it torn back away when Raven replied, once again with a resounding, "No."

The moment it had escaped her lips, though, the whole other side of the table, consisting of four girls with major mental issues (guess who), shouting, "JUST GO ALREADY!" at her, causing her to jump up in surprise and to be dragged away by an obnoxiously hyper Garfield.

As they wound through the video game consoles, on their right by a wall Raven could see a glimpse of red hair, and, looking harder, both Kori and Twig. Kori did not seem to be in a good mood - she seemed to be rather angry at the other Tamaranian, and was speaking to him with great force in the alien language.

Raven almost pitied the boy, but realized that for Kori to be angry he must have done something pretty bad. Or at least really stupid.

She continued to be dragged along by the arm until Garfield stopped in front of the largest gaming console in the entire arcade; Dance Dance Revolution. The violet haired girl could not help but emit a moan at seeing it.

"You have got to be kidding me," she said in an almost warning monotone.

With a shrug, Gar fished out two quarters from his pocket and replied, "You're the queen of sarcasm. You tell me."

* * *

DDR takes a lot out of you, especially when you get into it like Raven eventually had. The two of them, Gar and Raven, ended up having a lot of fun playing the dance-step game to the bad j-pop music it had in its memory and Raven had even laughed at one point at Gar's antics.

So it seemed like all too soon that Kori came up to them and told them that the rest of the group was leaving. It was a Friday night and the school curfews were later, but they still were there. Raven nodded her head and they followed the redhead out. The toned violet haired girl wanted to ask Kori what had happened with Twig but she realized that Kori probably did not want to talk about it in front of everyone else. So instead she kept quiet.

They met up with everyone else at the front door, the rest had already been assembled and stood, some (like Winter) less awake than others. Together they all walked down the same route they had on the way there until they came to the corner where Harrisfield students went one way and Lemington, the other. Goodnights were said, huggles all around and waves from others, and Dick stretched a little bit, looking at the little deli on the corner where they all were separating. The rest of the group was already on its way, but not far enough that the spiky haired teen had to speak loudly to be heard.

"Hey, anybody want coffee?"

He asked this in general to the other Harrisfield students; Victor, Betty, Kori, Raven, Rayne and Winter, but his eyes locked immediately on Kori's. Noticeably, she was the only one who answered with a yes, but no one commented or even snickered within earshot.

* * *

"What flavour do you want?"

Dick and Kori stood together at the coffee counter of a small deli they had found on the corner. The two teens were not uncomfortable around each other; they both knew the other so well that something like that was out of the question, but Dick was a little bit nervous about talking to her.

"The strawberry kind looks delectable," she said, examining the choices of flavoured coffee. Dick smiled and put the cup under the spigot, both of them watching the hot substance pour into the insulated container. After it had filled, the spiky haired boy also got one for himself; paying before the two left the shop.

"You have fun?" Richard asked the redhead walking beside him. She was blowing on the steaming coffee, waiting for it to become a cool enough temperature to drink.

"I most certainly did! It was a fantastic experience to meet another Tamaranian so far from home!" Kori seemed to be too drunk with happiness for Dick to make her sad by insulting the red haired bishonen she had met that night. He kind of changed the subject.

"He gave you his number, right?"

Not as per expected, Kori's face fell a little bit. "Yes, he did, but I do not wish to call him."

This and her look threw Dick off. He had been expecting her to be jumping for joy, but she looked rather disappointed instead. "Are you okay?"

The redhead looked up with a smile on her face. "Yes, of course I am. Why do you ask?"

"You just looked a little sad, that's all," Dick said with a concerned look on his own face. She may have not been interested in him romantically (hey, I'm writing this from his perspective, not mine) but he still cared about what happened to her.

"No, I am not sad," she said, "Though it does disappoint me that Twig was not as kind a person as I would have liked him to be."

Dick knew better than to ask what she meant by that although it was a lot to resist that urge. Instead he brought his steaming cup to his lips and sipped the hot liquid, allowing her some free air.

They both walked together in this silence for a few moments, and Kori did continue, but not immediately.

"It was wonderful to meet him, as I said, but I do not wish to meet him again until he, what would be the American way to put it - grows up."

"So you don't like Twig?" Dick's face couldn't help but light up a little bit with hope.

"His lack of integrity and intelligence does not delight me one bit," Kori said, shrugging her shoulders as if careless and tossing the now empty cup into a nearby trash can. She turned to Dick and took his hand, causing him to become surprised though he did not complain, "So I believe that it is time for us to return to the school of learning now. It's late."

* * *

I LIKE REVIEWS!

**Queen-of-Azarath**: Really? You like answering questions? Yep. I think they're fun too. So I don't have time to put any in this chapter but I'll put some interesting ones in the next. :-d I am so late. I hated this chapter. Heh heh... BTW- sorry there wasn't a cafe scene in this one - i forgot about it until after I uploaded this and didn't get the chance to write it. I am so late. (once again)

**The Devils Nightmere**: lol. It's all my fault, I know. How can you hate Starfire? gasps Well I guess that's your choice :-d. Thanks for reviewing!

**Rose**: Aw, don't worry, they'll be playing the eppie over and over and over again anyway. I hope you get to see it!

**Golden-Sama**: All hail Kind Salad! Dude, that name is so cool. Hm. Holy Cow. My friend Hillary (also known as Vesta) downloaded Stranded off the internet. She came up to me this morning in the hallway with Caitlyn and they were both uber excited - that girl (meaning Hillary) felt that she had so much power over us (meaning Paula and Caitlyn… lol) because she knew everything about the episode and could torture us by telling us only in small fragments. Ag. I am going to steal it from her. Did you know that Mother Mae-eye (sp?) is out too? And the End parts one and two come out like next week in some places? Oh dear. Heh heh. I rant a lot. I was watching TROQ again right after I updated my story last Thursday and near the end when they are all standing together on the top of Titan's Tower - and for a second there I could have SWORN that I saw Beast Boy and Raven holding hands for a second there. They weren't; I had to rewind the tape to check it again, but - soddin' muffins, man - it LOOKED like it! They're standing next to each other and… yeah. We can wish, can't we? Anyways, happy birthday again! (hehe.)

* * *

**-note**- Okay, so thechapter sucked and it was mushy. Euh. That's life. Guess what! My sister's coming home this weekend! So that means I'm going to be in the car for a grand total of about eleven hours this weekend. Mmm. Good writing time (but only if I get down to it). I have a couple other projects to work on, but I'll try to work on next week's chapter so that it is a decent length etcetera. So I'll see you next Thursday! (**May 26**)

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Ten"  
Okay, we're 1/3 of the way there. To where? The end of course. Oh my this will be fun. The next chapter is something… a bit more… mature I could say? Poking fun at girls and vampires… and what happens when they come to visit (the vampires, not the girls. Oh dear I don't believe that made any sense to you. It will when the next chapter comes)


	13. Ten

**-note**- to all of you who have read chapter 9 (the previous chapter) of this story, I am terribly sorry. It sucked and I am not very proud of it. When I have a little more time I will probably upload another version of it (which will have the same plotline etcetera except written better) but right now I'll just stick to getting this done on time.

**-dedication**- FOR TIDUS'LUVR. Hehe. You're one of my bestestest (great spelling, eh?) and so I had to dedicate a chapter for you cuz your birthday isn't any time soon. Or at least it wasn't the last time I checked. So be happy that I only make you say bishi once. Lol. It's just so fun to make you say bishi

**-warning**- this piece contains mature content, mild cussing, hyper raven, aspirin, Midol, and other such 'drugs,' other OOC traits, and a possible flying elephant. Consider yourself warned.

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

_It was late when Winter showed up this week, and she wasn't alone. Beside her, looking almost exactly like her except with dark brown hair and a slightly taller figure was her sister.  
__She immediately set forth to working, typing away at a quite – mature – topic, and the other girl asked the question. "So, you just sit here and type all night?"  
__The blonde and red haired girl looked up, seemingly doing some sort of calculating in her head, then replied, "No, sometimes I listen to the people onstage, and sometimes I drink water, and sometimes I run away from crazy Azarathians who want to know what I am going to do to them with the information I hold, I stalk fanfiction writers, piss off the waiter – you know. Fun stuff."  
__At this point, the very waiter of whom she spoke showed up, obviously curious.  
_"_Hi, Winter," he said, his eyes wide. If this were an anime they would have stars or possibly hearts in them as he looked at her sister. "I didn't know you had a twin."  
__Winter and the dark haired girl exchanged looks, then broke out laughing. "Her name's Steena and she's five years older than me."  
__John's eyes grew even wider, looking more excited. Probably thinking that he had a chance with this girl. Shya. Like Winter would ever let that happen.  
__As the girl, now known as Steena, seemed to become uncomfortable under the waiter's stare, Winter intervened. "John, I'm waiting for you to ask me what I want."  
__He looked at her with a pouty expression on his face as if she'd ruined his fun.  
__He sighed. "What would you like?"  
__With a grin, Winter told him to come closer. "Get over here for a sec."  
__The boy came closer, no thought to what she might have in mind, and before he knew it he had a fist in his belly for a very minute amount of time.  
_"_Now," she said to his now uncomfortable form, "It's very rude to stare. I would like you to get my sister and myself a water, please."_

Morning time. By nearly everyone's standards it is not a very acceptable time to be in, but it becomes much worse when the first sound that comes to your years upon your awakening is your roommate's roar of unadulterated, painfully scary, frustration.

Poor Raven. I really do pity her living conditions.

"Wha-a-a-at," she groaned. She was still lying in bed, clutching to her dark pillow on this Saturday morning while she buried her face in its softness to try and get back to sleep. She had been up on the computer till nearly 3 AM, quite a cause to sleep in, and Winter was not making it easy for her.

Winter didn't respond, or at least not negligibly. What was instead heard was another loud growl/moan/cry of annoyance as the blonde and red haired teen, still in her pajamas, prowled around the room. She would stand at the door of her wardrobe for a few moments, through one or two random objects from its inside on the floor, then she would move to the bookshelf above Raven and her computer and do something similar with the old and new volumes, before rummaging through her backpack only to drop it, cuss and make loud noises in frustration, and begin the cycle again. It was one of her outbursts that caused Raven to sit upright with an annoyed expression on her face.

"If anything happens to any of my books I won't think twice of slowly removing the life from your body."

It was true, what Raven was saying. Some of her books were sixteenth to eighteenth century (and earlier) and not only in the content. A few of them were so vintage that they could be worth quite a lot if she ever intended to sell them; she even had some originals. Most people knew better than to go anywhere near her books for fear of ripping even one page and incurring the dark girl's wrath.

Winter seemed to know better too – the only books ending up on the floor were rightfully hers and, even so, still in mediocre condition. Raven raised an eyebrow when she did not respond; instead she continued to examine the room forcefully.

"What?" she stated, rather than asked, "No witty comments? You aren't going to tell me how that was the second time this week that I've greeted you in the morning with a death threat?" she let out a sarcastic 'tut, tut.' "You should be ashamed."

Almost valiantly did Winter turn to Raven. "No. But that phrase shall be avenged!"

Raven just raised her right eyebrow again, looking at the other girl strangely. "Um, o-kay?"

The next few moments, as Raven removed the covers from over herself and we could all see her blue Eeyore pajamas, Winter and Raven did not speak, only went about their business. Our rumoured psychic took deep breaths and stretched while she pulled out clothes to wear for the day while her crazy, hyper, schizophrenic tendency bearing (amoung other things) roommate still rummaged for something.

"So-o-o," Raven said, watching Winter with a slightly bemused look on her face, "What is it you're looking for?"

"Nothing!"

Winter said this too quickly, the first giveaway (or was it the second? I'll let you decide) that she really was looking for something important.

Raven shrugged. "If you need help, I'll be sleeping in the shower."

Of course this was sarcasm. Fortunately her real plan was to wash in the shower. If she had wanted sleep too terribly she would have raided the floor space in another friend's room such as Kori or Betty, but now she seemed to be over her terrible loss and ready to face the day.

She slipped out the door with a towel over her shoulder and some shampoos and soaps in a bag under her arm, and Winter continued to look around the room frantically until a cell phone rang.

It was hers, and upon answering it she immediately began to rant to Vesta, who was on the other line.

"Vesta!" she cried into the mini transmitting device that we, as teenagers of America, Canadia (hehe), France, Germany, England, Scotland, Japan, Wales, Ireland, etcetera, etcetera, and so forth, call a cell phone, "I can't find my bloody notebook! I am so gonna kill it the moment I get my hands on it!"

* * *

Ever since she had figured out whom her roommate was, Rayne had taken to using her room as sparse as possible. Just the pinkness which had multiplied every time she came into the room blinded her to no end.

She was now walking down the hall, having woken herself up early, even though it was a Saturday morning, and she was talking to herself. Or, rather, she seemed to be having a heated argument with herself.

"No, no, no," she murmured. Based on the direction she was headed it seemed that Rayne was headed toward the dining hall for an early breakfast, "wrong note. It's a G, not an F. You don't think so? Maybe you just think it's in the wrong key!"

"Hello."

Kori had somehow come up nearby Rayne, and had an indifferent look on her face, if not plain downright annoyed, even though there was nothing to be annoyed about.

Rayne narrowed her eyes at her friend suspiciously, but just a little bit.

"Hello," she replied, a suspicious tone laced with her words, and then said, as if she had something to hide, "What do you want?"

The redhead snapped back. "What do YOU want!"

"Life!" Rayne cried out, then she said quieter, "No, I want love. TO STROKE ROBIN'S HAIR! I would rather grow old with someone special to me. I WANT-"

Interrupting her, Kori said, "Fine!"

Rayne just shook her also red hair. She murmured, as she walked along, "It has to be in C. No, there's a sharp in there. It's an accidental!"

* * *

To understand something as complex as the female brain is to be like God, so, obviously, even we females have no clue what the heck is going on. To make things simpler and to explain things that are unexplainable we have people who we call scientists. The purpose of a scientist is to be someone who examines bodily functions and, even though they do not understand them themselves, name them with names so capacious that no one really understands them, and make a big name for themselves.

One of the things that scientists have named is what we, as girls, call Aunt Flow, the Vampire, Clifford the Big Red Dog, or, among many others, our period. So since these scientists are not like God and cannot understand that one thing that is so complex; the female brain, they call it the menstrual cycle. And something that happens during this time is something they call Post Menstrual Stress, or PMS, which changes any girl's personality to be so strange that they may not even be recognized to those close to them.

And when I say strange, I mean STRANGE.

* * *

"_Vesta!_" cried a voice with an English accent from the inside of Vesta's cell phone, "_I can't find my bloody notebook! I am so gonna kill it the moment I get my hands on it!_"

"Oh," Vesta replied, kind of thrown by the immediate, erm, opening to their conversation, "As long as you're awake. Are you still going to come to play football with us this morning?"

There was a pause on the other line. Then Winter said, "_English or American?_"

Vesta shook her head. "American. I don't think Vic likes soccer all that much."

A few mumbles could be heard, sounding a lot like a threat to Victor's life, then the girl on the other line said, "_All right, but I'll get back at you if it sucks.. I have to go find my notebook, though, so I'll talk to you later_."

"Bye," Vesta said in a bored tone, hanging up her phone, only to dial more numbers in it to begin her long stream of telephone calls she had to make. The next one was to Emily, and the girl picked it up on the second ring.

"Hey Em, it's me, Vesta."

The voice on the other line sort of sniffled. "_Okay_," she replied meekly.

"So-o-o," Vesta probed her friend, "Are you awake and ready to play football?"

The dirty blonde haired girl could just imagine, based on what she was hearing, how Emily looked. Her lip was probably quivering before she replied quietly, "_If you want me to_."

"Do think you could call up Gar for me and make sure he's awake and coming? I'll take care of everybody else."

"_I…guess I could_," Emily said. She seemed wistful, among quiet and other things such as somber and submissive, "_But they probably don't want to hear from me._"

Vesta suddenly felt the weight and the woe of her friend and wanted to help her, so she did her best in comforting her. "It's okay, Emily, of course they like you. Just come over to my dorm when you're done and we'll all walk together."

"_You don't want to walk with me._"

"Stop putting your self down," Vesta commanded, "And just call Gar and come back here. All right? I'll talk to you later then."

"_You won't_."

"Bye."

Emily hung up the phone.

* * *

A few phone calls and about forty-five minutes later, the twelve of them stood on the dewy field, Victor holding under his right arm the leather football and told – or, better put, shouted – everyone what to do. Not in a mean way of course, he simply said that, if everyone played that there would be two teams of six, which was immediately nixed as a few girls, namely Raven, Betty, Emily, and Rayne all walked off the field and sat down without a word.

"Betty," Gar called, "Aren't you going to play?"

Betty hung her head and slouched her shoulders. "No," she said with sorrow, "It isn't like I'd help out a team anyway."

Everyone else out in the middle of the stadium sized field just stared, open mouthed, at the black girl as she went to go sit with Raven, Emily, and Rayne on the bleachers.

Well since an even number of people, the remaining; Victor, Garfield, Dick, Speedy, Winter, Vesta, Kori, and Achilles, all split up onto two teams, trying to even out as much as possible.

So while Victor, Speedy, Winter, and Achilles went to one side of the field and Dick, Garfield, Vesta, and Kori went to the other, Raven seemed to have snapped.

"So-o-o-o-o-o, then he said, 'Raven you shouldn't worry so much,' and I was thinking, 'Dude, I don't worry,' but then I got really pissed off 'cause he assumed I was worried and also because I'd been spending so much time with him that I was actually THINKING the word 'dude' and then I glared at him and he stopped hugging me."

The violet haired girl was speaking at an unconventional speed, having started her speech almost the moment they had sat down on the top row of the bleachers. She was recollecting and sharing the details of a dream she'd had just the other night and, so strangely, all of them were dressed up differently in spandex-like clothing and they were on a space ship with, as she called him, some big, blue, muscular guy.

Emily and Betty had looks on their faces that could indicate that they were about to cry, though neither of them did, and Rayne was looking at the darker girl with crazy eyes.

"Where did you hear that!" she said with a voice that matched her expression.

Raven replied as if Rayne had asked a terribly stupid question and she was dismissing it. "Weren't you listening? It was a dream."

The redhead's green eyes went wild, looking around quickly as if someone might be watching and see them.

Emily sniffled, turning all attention to herself. "Well," she said sadly, "Not that anyone cares what I say or anything, but they started the game."

On the field…

Vesta stuck her tongue out at Winter from across the expanse. Winter grew enraged and silently decided that her dignity would be avenged. Vesta would not go unpunished.

Victor was telling them all the game plan; drawing little red arrows on a dry erase board which had seemed to appear out of no where and assigning them to each player. Winter spaced out and tried to devise an evil plan for the death of her notebook when it came home. (Always remembering to add in somewhere that she would have to copy all of her notes out of it first)

"So Winter," Victor was saying to her when she came back from LaLa land, "You got all that?"

She squinted her eyes to see if she could make sense of the figures on the board but after a moment just shook her head and said, "No… Not really."

Speedy, speaking for the first time that Winter could remember today, said in exasperation, "You have got to be kidding me."

The girl sprang up, righteous fury bubbling up inside her. "Would you like to say that again?" she said dangerously, "Because I'd be more than happy to add you to my hit list."

Question marks would have appeared over the heads of Achilles, Speedy, and Victor had this been animated.

"Wait," Achilles said monotonously, "You have a hit list?"

She grinned. "I do now!" the smile went away as she said, "And if you ever try to find it I'll tear your throat out."

The shaggy black haired teen replied with a shrug, "I don't care. Hit lists are pointless. We have a brain for memory, you know."

Speedy looked at Victor in annoyance, coming back to the original topic. "So what are we gonna do about the chic?"

The 'chic' fumed, but Vic didn't seem too worried. He turned to her.

"So can you just block Gar?" he asked, "You know how to, right?"

Keeping her teeth gritted she replied, "Of course. Just get me some wood." (okay. If you didn't get that I'm fine with that; it's kind of an inside joke)

* * *

Vesta stood right next to the touchdown line, holding the football in her hands. She moved it from hand to hand; watching the rest of her friends tackle each other for what they thought was this very ball, not seeing her standing there.

"You know," she wondered aloud, "I could really go for some macaroni and cheese right now."

Winter must have heard her say that, because she turned from the small group of people fighting and charged towards Vesta in fury. Normally she would have come over jokingly and knocked the ball out of her friend's hands as if it were a joke but right now she had vengeance to serve on a platter with bacon and French fried potatoes.

Vesta gasped in delight, not even noticing Winter coming at her with a lot of speed, and said lightly, "Beef jerky…Sounds really good."

At this moment, Winter would have probably beaten Vesta to the ground. Unfortunately fortune was on Vesta's side, and Kori was in a really bad mood, which is very good when you're playing tackle football. She tackled Winter right over, getting the attention of the rest of the two teams.

"GET VESTA," Dick called out, and he and Garfield ran towards her to try and tackle her before she could move over the touchline.

She seemed to notice this as well, and grinned, stepping over the white coloured grass. However it was too late, as Vic's watch, set to go off at the end of the time for the play, beeped.

"If you don't take some Midol then I'm going to shove it down your throat!" Winter said, pushing Kori away when she attempted to ask if the blonde and red headed teen would be all right.

* * *

Winter dragged herself to the bleachers, her knee killing her slightly.

"I should rip it to shreds for what it did to me. It doesn't deserve to see another game." She murmured, stepping up to where the other girls were sitting, watching Raven speak animatedly. Winter looked at her, wondering what was going on. Raven just doesn't talk with emotion, and that's a fact.

"Hi guys," she said, pulling an aspirin from Rayne's purse which sat on the bleachers and swallowing it, "What's up?"

Rayne looked up at the blonde and red haired teen from her seated position with big, frightened eyes. "You left your notebook with me last night. It was calling me while I slept, but I threw it under my bed to keep it away."

Winter's eyes glowed. "Is it still there?"

"I hope so," Rayne looked a little squeamish.

Before anyone else could say anything, Winter ran away towards the school.

Rayne blinked and shook her head to clear it. "I hope Kitten locked the room when she left," she noted, watching Winter disappear, "For the notebook's sake."

* * *

Victor had just pronounced that his team had won.

"But you remember that awesome touchdown I made," Vesta reminded the big African American.

"You're just jealous," Kori snapped, and would have probably said more had not Dick pulled her away.

"Well actually it doesn't count," Victor said, tallying up the score WITHOUT Vesta's final touchdown, "Because it was after the timer ended. Which means that we win."

Achilles moved so that he was standing right beside the dirty blonde haired girl and pointed to her. "Ha, ha, ha. You lost."

Vesta just pouted a little bit. "Stupid UN-bishi."

* * *

Eight reviews! I'm really happy. I like reviews. Let's see if I can hit eight again for this chapter… or more would be nice. Hehe.

**Golden-Sama**: heh. I hope you didn't wait too long for that last chapter. I hated it to the high heavens. Or at least somewhere around there. Hehe… Yes, she did get stranded, and I have it in my book bag right this minute – sitting beside me and just waiting for the right moment to become free so that I may watch it and be like, YAY! ROBSTAR Lol. I'm wondering whether or not I want to see spoilers for 'the end' yet. I'm really teetering because the first one came out yesterday in Canada and should be all over the net within the day and I don't know whether I want to ruin it for myself or not… Okay, I think I will. I'm going to go look at TVtome as soon as I'm finished answering these reviews and writing the café scene. See, I write my chapters way out of order. And at the last minute. It's Thursday morning right now so I'm kind of late, but not as late as I usually am.

**Tidus'luvr**: Okiedokies. I hope you liked this chapter. And I promise you won't have quite as many cheesy bishi lines anymore. Okay? Okay. It's fourth period and I am dying to go look at 'the end' spoilers so I'll tell you what I see if I do see anything. Bloody Carissa. She should be impeached! Impeared! Imbananad! And, um, all that jazz?

**Rose**: No, Twig isn't from Troq; in Betrothed, when Blackfire first introduces Starfire to her husband to be it shows this one bishi-looking buy with long red hair and, though I don't know how, his name is Twig.

**Queen-of-Azarath**: It's okay that you were confused; I was very disappointed in the last chapter. So to explain: in the chapter BEFORE that, when Dick asked Victor to help him on a 'treasure hunt,' Vic quickly thought of an excuse so that he wouldn't have to help him and break 'the (master) plan.' And that excuse was that he had a date, and the first person he thought of was Betty to be the person he went out on a date with. When Dick asked them about it in THIS chapter, Betty soon figured it out and went along with it… Or something like that. I'm only the writer. I don't pretend to understand anything. Lol.

**serlgee**: yep, I like InuYasha a lotses. I haven't seen a lot of the series because I can't download any anime from the internet like I used to last year, but I buy the manga (so far I only have the first two books… heh heh) and I occasionally watch the adult swim version. And yes, I didn't like birthmark all that much either. Though someone (on this site, in a review for this story, actually) told me something about that episode that made it all worthwhile. BB, near the end, gets really starry eyed at Rae and when he's running behind her with the ice cream he has big hearts in his eyes. So yeah. I only watch it for that part. :-d

**Gubba-Gubba**: I'm hoping that 'wow' is a good thing. Lol. Thanks for reviewing though. Have a donut. hands donut And drink some green tea while your at it hands green tea…. And you know what else? … Neither do I. Hehe. That was really random.

* * *

**QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED IN YOUR REVIEW**:

1. Why are the boys in all of the internal couplings (i.e. star and rob, bb and rae, even bb and terra for all its worth!) shorter than the girls?

2. What is the Holocaust?

3. If you could live anywhere? Where would you live?

4. Go to titanstower dot com, go to the animated site. And on the homepage, look at the last picture VERY carefully. Record your reaction.

5. And how does that make you feel?

BONUS: How do you honestly think, based on how TT functions and Stranded, that Beast Boy and Raven will get together?

* * *

**note**- I have bad news. My friend lost the presidential election at our school. Yeah, we do our elections at the end of the year for the upcoming year instead of at the beginning, but I guess that's life. We should all go on strike. Or at least get adequately angry. Alright, all together now: "GET CARISSA AND DANNY IMPEACHED!" Okay, so Carissa isn't nearly as bad as Danny, but dude! Caitlyn still should have won; she at least knows what she's doing! And what's even worse, she was sick today so she won't find out yet. Oh dear. I'll have to go tell her myself so she doesn't hear it from word of mouth. Well, anyways, next update on **June 2**.

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Eleven"  
Um, I don't know how to give you a sneak peak to this chapter. McDonalds? A little BBRae? Some jazz? Maybe that flying elephant that I previously promised but did not see through to? shrugs Who knows?


	14. Eleven

**-note**- Ahh.. I'm rushing. I have a NYSMA festival tomorrow. I hope that I do well… hehe. prays please let me do well. So there isn't much for me to say. I shall just write the chapter now. For writing thisI feel so unoriginal…

**-dedication**- This one's for Rose. You're a great reviewer and we all LOOOVE you:-d I would have done it for your birthday but I already have another birthday that week. It's funny, but you have the exact same birthday as my friend Caitlyn. Anyways, hope you like the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter** **Eleven**

* * *

"_And now, playing her… knife? … Well, anyway, here she is, Maria Christina-Lucia, Private Eye!"  
__A brunette walked up onto the stage, making sure that she stopped the man who had announced her, none other than our favourite waiter John, and mentioned to him before he got off,  
_"_You forgot the hyphen!"  
__After she had arrived to the center of the stage, a very serious look appeared on her face and she announced, this time to the audience,  
_"_Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight I give you a special performance – I will play the Teen Titans theme song!"  
__A few people hesitantly snapped in response, but the biggest came from the back. About three water bottles were being shaken around so that all could hear the water sploosh in them, all by none other than a blonde and red haired teen sitting in a back corner of the café with a laptop sitting on the table in front of her.  
__Maria took out her 'instrument,' a black, cafeteria plastic knife, and placed it on the edge of the stool (set up for people who want to sit while they read poetry etcetera) and, after a long silence, began to twang it.  
__Such is the sound of the knife playing the Teen Titans theme song that you cannot imagine.  
__Apparently Robin and Starfire couldn't either. They swooped in the front door and came to a stop at the stage…  
__**(to be continued/concluded)**_

"What brand do you use?"

"That's a fashion secret. If I told you the whole world would find out and I would be doomed." (I love that word. Doom. DOOM DOOM DOOM!... Okay. Back to the story)

"Oh come on, it won't hurt anybody. If you tell me I'll tell you what I use for mine."

The black haired teen scrunched up his face, wiggling one of his cheekbones for a moment in thought. Then he must have decided that it was okay because he replied,

"Well at first I just loaded up on as cheap hair gel as I could. I mean, it does cost a lot to put so much in your hair all the time. But then I asked Raven and she found a bottle of rubber cement for me. It stays in for a week before it even begins to get flimsy."

"Wow. I just stick with the hair gel. But don't you have enough money to be paying for it?"

"That's a fashion secret too."

Thoughtfully, the other boy changed the subject. "You know," he pondered aloud, "Kori looked really good today. I think she did something with her hair."

Mind you, Kori had not even brushed her hair this morning. She had first banged the hairbrush on the dresser for what reasons we do not know, afterward chewing on the handle with the rage of a million suns, finally ending her assault with throwing it against the wall and telling it, quite forcefully, in her Tamaranian language that it was a "nasty blow pop fish." Well I am not sure if that is the correct translation, but it is the closest I can get with my very limited Tamaranian dialect.

Two pairs of darkened glasses met with an almost maniacal feel behind them. But both of them were not feeling for the same reason. One, our first speaker who we know and hate as Speedy, was in a spiteful manner. He knew that just by brining up the foreign girl in the other's presence could be deadly. The other, who was, if you haven't guessed, Dick Grayson, was in a more protective way. Even so, they were both a little annoyed.

"Of course," Dick nonchalantly stated, pretending like it didn't matter, "You don't mean that she doesn't look good every day."

If his eyes could be seen behind his glasses, Speedy's probably would have been bulging. "No!" he said quickly, not quite as self assured anymore, "She looks AMAZING all the time! I just meant –"

The raven haired boy stepped up closer to the other, a bit of an insane grin on his face. "Just drop it."

"What's up with you guys?"

The two turned only with their heads, not moving the rest of their bodies, to see the speaker. It was Achilles, and, when they heard what he had said, they realized that they looked – just a LITTLE bit strange. Dick was almost standing over Speedy in threat, and the other boy cowered a wee bit more in fear.

"Oh, nothing," Speedy stepped back from Dick and stood up tall, "Just a little friendly rivalry."

Achilles shrugged, and spoke again, even more careless sounding than he had before.

"Vesta," he said, moving his head a little bit to indicate the direction in which to look to see her, "wanted a milkshake and decided that she needed it otherwise she'd die. So she convinced everybody else to go too. And that basically means that you two have to go too. Girls are so weird."

"Uh…"

Both of the other teens said this at the same time, exchanging a bit of a nervous glance. Dick spoke for the both of them, not quite sure what to say to all that. It was probably the biggest speech either of them had ever heard Achilles say in the entirety of their knowing him.

"Okay?"

* * *

All of the girls, excepting their good buddy (coughhackcough) Winter, stood or sat at the side of the bleachers, waiting to get going. Vesta may have convinced everyone to go to McDonalds, but that does not mean that she could get anyone moving quickly. Every so often someone would scratch an ear or take a deeper breath than they were before and yawn it out a bit, but other than that it was pretty much a bore. All they were doing was talking about what they had done for vacations. 

"I went to a basketball camp on scholarship. They probably won't accept me if I apply again – it isn't like I'm any good." Betty was sitting on the grass, pulling one of the green plants apart strand by strand. She said this wistfully, almost whiny, and a little quietly - no one really heard her.

Except Emily, that is. She didn't sit on the grass; instead she was behind the African American girl on the bottom white metal bleacher. She responded, "I ran away from home over the summer, and I lived with wolves for a month or so." She ended her little speech with a sob.

The dirty blonde haired girl who was standing beside her; the one who had been craving milkshakes earlier, added onto the conversation, "I love wolves! They're my favourite kind of dog!"

At this, Emily's head shot up. Her eyes had a look of fury in her eyes that were not there before. She had been looking as though she was terrified to just be looked at wrong before, but now she was back to her old self – at least for the moment.

"Wolves are not dogs."

There was an amount of testiness in her voice that would not normally be toyed with by a normal person, but Vesta didn't seem to care. She said, thoughtfully,

"They're in the dog family."

The blonde sprung up on the other, not physically attacking her but getting really close to her. Her physical space invaded, even by a girl who was almost a foot shorter than her, Vesta leaned back a little bit. Raven looked prepared to jump in and stop the two should any fights break out.

"The Canis Lupis, also known to most humans as the wolf, is a member of the canine family they-"

"Stop talking," Kori snapped before adding, "Please". She was standing as well, but she looked like she was in a very bad mood. She turned back to her other conversation.

Emily immediately went back into her original reclusive state. "Okay," she murmured.

Rayne pouted a little bit, watching the other girls out of the corner of her eye as she spoke to Kori, who, though a little bit snappish, was not speaking hostilely to her.

"Why didn't I get to do anything this summer? No, I did a lot this summer. I was only in one play! It was a stupid play and I got a stupid – no I didn't, I loved it."

Rayne rambled on about this for a few moments before Kori said, "What is it you're complaining about with many different sides to it?"

She did not answer for, at that moment, Winter came running up with a few things held in her arms to her chest. One was, unmistakably, the notebook which had reappeared under Rayne's bed, another was a bottle of water, which probably came from her room, and the other was a small plastic bottle.

"Here," she huffed, taking off the lid from the container which could now be read to say 'Midol,' "Take one of these and wash it down with water. I'm not going anywhere with y'all PMSing all over."

This line must have been funny, because Raven choked up the water she had just swallowed as she began to laugh… and laugh… and laugh.

* * *

Some people have imaginations to keep themselves amused. Some just bite down into a good book or fanfiction. Others, I'm sorry to say, generally the ones with less functioning brain waves, just watch television. 

Garfield and Victor could not drag either of their televisions out into the football field, so, in a desperate attempt to keep their minds from becoming – oh no! the evil! – bored, they now stood huddled over the miniature screen of Victor's PSP and drank in the fluorescent fake light from it.

"Why aren't WE on a starship?" Garfield asked suddenly, tearing both of them away from the alternate reality they found themselves in while they watched the show, "Or at least in some really cool HQ with a window that turns into a really big TV?"

Victor shrugged, much more careless to where they lived.

"I already have a big TV," he said simply.

The green boy looked back at the PSP and began to drool, seeing something completely amazing. "Your telly's nothing compared to…" he shoved the pre-recorded commercial ad on the screen at his dark skinned friend, "The Titan-gamestation-Dvd-Jimeishjekahlemansicklembuh-DELUXE-point-6-4-5-2-1."

The ad showed the exact television that the Titans had built into their common room window. It is a small world; isn't it? Well, at least we know what model it is now. Onward and upward, we go.

While the boys began to worship and adore the advertised product, the rest of the teens decided that it was time to go.

"We're LEAVING!" Winter called, running ahead as the rest began to walk slowly.

Victor and Gar just walked slowly behind them; their own little huddled mass over the PSP's little screen and the ad for the perfect television. I salute you, model Americans.

* * *

The sound of grease sizzling the fries to the desirable temperature, the people shouting into their microphones and headsets and just in general, and the din of simply people around lunchtime at McDonalds is not a very comforting mix of sounds. So the friends did their best to get out of the line and into as obscure a table that they could as soon as possible. 

"The tables are disgusting…" Emily whined a little bit. It was true; the interior of the fast food restaurant looked as though its last visitors were a large group of toddlers - without mommies to clean up after them.

Raven, almost naturally in her monotone replied, "Why don't you… complain?"

"They'd get mad at me…"

Conversation faded in and out like this throughout the first few minutes of them sitting there, nibbling on their food, sucking on see-through plastic straws (unfortunately not the bendy kind or the brightly coloured kind) the calorie infested food and drink which they serve at these places.

Winter stretched her arms above her head and yawned, tired of the conversation they were having - not that any of them were really talking. Well, she really was just tired in general. You tend to become so when you are up at the crack of early morning dawn to look for the notebook which cannot be found when you have been up half the night. (yep. I know this from experience.) She whispered something to Emily, whose eyes lit in a mischievous happiness.

"Hey Dick," the blonde chided gleefully, "Did you bring your towel and spandex with you?"

Most other eyes looked at her strangely, dully, not knowing what in the world she meant, but Vesta, then Rayne, caught on. Dick took a few more moments to get it, but once he did it only took him a couple extra seconds to become his 'cool' self again.

"The Big Macs are calling you," Rayne said, "They're calling for the Bird Boy Wonder."

Raven cracked up, although she still probably didn't understand a word that they were saying. She laughed until she was doubled over; laughed until her hair was messy and the rest of the populus of McDonalds was staring at her, and until she began to cough away the giggles and wipe away her happiness caused tears. Obviously her Midol hadn't kicked in quite yet.

Garfield patted her back nervously, not sure exactly how to react to her outburst, but when she sat up, stark serious, he backed off immediately to allow her to cool down.

All attention returned to Rich Grayson, who, after a moment, became uncomfortable. Vesta raised her eyebrows in question to him, and he huffed a bit of a sigh.

"Do you guys have lives?"

Kori leaned over on the spiky haired teen's shoulder, falling asleep. Just earlier that morning she would have snapped horridly at the girls for teasing Dick but right now apathy seemed to be bliss.

"Nah."

Emily held out a chicken nugget to Garfield, holding it under his nose and making him see it – sniff it – just to tease him. It was driving him crazy; crazy enough to not notice the conversation going on around him.

"No!" he cried, trying to push away the nugget o' white without actually touching it. He tried many ways. One being blowing on it, another pushing away Emily's hand with his foot – the list goes on, and it didn't work. Raven probably would have protected him, even just a little bit, on a normal day but, as I look at Raven trying to keep a straight face a few feet away, I realize that she just wasn't up to it. So, on a slightly more 'happy' note, let us return to the conversation with Dick.

"So, Mr. Grayson," Vesta almost sang (she wasn't really singing, mind you. If that were the case it would not have been quite as on key as this was), "Do you care to try that game again? I'm sure we could find a dare fit for you this time."

Dick slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand repeatedly. He would have probably hit his head on the table had Kori's own not been on his shoulder, but since it was and she seemed to be (kind of) peacefully asleep, he settled for hitting with his hand.

"Not on my life," he said, not giving any room for compromise, "That was the stupidest game I've ever played."

Betty leaned over to Victor, who was eating every meaty substance he had bought – meaning he was eating quite a lot.

"I bet," she whispered, "That they're gonna try to start the game up again."

Vic shrugged and mumbled through a mouthful of food, "So? As long as I don't have to be a sissy girl again…"

Gar edged his chair away from Emily. "Save me," he whispered to Vic while he moved his chair on the other side of the big African American guy.

"Um," Victor just raised his eyebrows a little bit. It wasn't much of his choice; Garfield had already moved, "If you want to."

It wasn't until after he moved that he realized his mistake. Victor quite a lot more meat than just one lousy chicken nugget…

Vesta pouted when Dick gave his answer. If he wasn't going to play then who… A grin of realization came to Vesta's face as a light bulb flashed on in her head. She turned to the 'Goth' kid sitting next to her.

"Achilles," she began. Before she could continue, though, she got her answer.

"No."

"Ple-e-e-e-ease, Achilles?" the blonde implored, "You won't be the only one playing. I'll get Winter and Rayne and Garfield and Betty and Victor and Raven –"

"Sure." His tone was, as always, without emotion. It wasn't surprising that Vesta mistook it for something else.

"– And Kori –"

"Okay."

"- And… Wait. You said yes, didn't you."

"Yeah." The shaggy black haired boy shrugged his right shoulder slowly, his face looking as emotionless as human features can possibly be. Dang that kid's good at that kind of thing. We all caught what name Vesta was at when he finally agreed. Yup.

Winter and Rayne, who were also having a conversation, came up with a different conclusion than Vesta, though. It began something like this.

"Remember how you wanted to know what Gar's firehouse was?" Winter asked her redheaded friend.

Rayne gasped a little bit, but not in exclamation; in happiness. "Yeah!"

"Well, basically…" the blonde and red haired teen went on to explain what they had chosen for his two scenes and, even without saying what she meant, Rayne knew what the point of her explaining this was for.

"Okay everyone," Winter announced. From where everyone was they turned to look at her, surprisingly, "Since our last game of truth or dare got cut off, we have two last dares to be dealt. We were in the middle of Gar's turn before he left so he didn't get to finish it and Rayne hadn't even been picked."

It was hard to read the expressions on so many people, and, of course, there was mixed reactions, but it seemed to be… okay. The most important reactions, and the only ones I will record, are those of Garfield and Rayne. Rayne had, at the beginning of the idea, seemed triumphant, but when she heard Winter say her name she became a little more nervous. Garfield just shrunk. More and more he became almost a little mouse (if that's possible) next to his meat eating friend and the blow from Winter.

"So," the blonde and red haired chick (lol) announced, "Gar picked fire house last time. And, drum roll please," almost everybody at the table banged on it as fast as they could to make an imitation drum roll, "Here are his choices. (she cleared her throat here.) One, eat meat."

Here, everyone knew for sure that he was going to say no to this one. There was nothing that he more passionately cared about than the welfare of animals. If this was one of them, how bad could the second one be?

"And two, you have to dress up in stereotypical French clothing and declare your love to Raven in French."

(-note- okay. So don't kill me. I actually came up with this chapter, or at least the outline for it, BEFORE I ever saw Betrayal. And that's the one where BB's trying to ask out Terra :chokes: and he gets the idea to pretend to be French etcetera…)

Everyone tried not to look at Garfield. They honestly did. They did not know how he would react, especially if they were staring at him as though he had a really large pimple on his forehead.

Honestly, his reaction was quite strange, based on his personality. He was completely calm as if nothing had happened and this was a conversation he had with his friends every day.

"Dudes, I don't speak French."

Hearing this seemed to make everyone release their breath, though Raven was completely unreadable. She was not obviously looking away from Gar, but she wasn't staring at him. She was an even better actor than Achilles when it came to hiding emotions. This is a wicked pain trying to figure out what she was thinking. So I don't think I will.

Garfield's rendition of expressing his love to Raven in French did not turn out to be too exciting; he simply said, "Je t'aime; tu a le mademoiselle belle tout le terre," as Winter had figured the best she could with her very little foreign language experience, with a very terrible accent.

Vesta's face showed disappointment. It was apparent that she'd wanted Achilles to play as well, but of course it did not work out. "So what about Rayne?"

"We're getting there," Emily answered for her in a slightly annoyed way.

The rest looked at Rayne expectantly, and, almost on cue, Winter chanted the choices. "Truth, dare, double dare, promise to repeat, asparatuckle, fire house, bottle."

Rayne picked the best one she could under the circumstances. "Dare."

Almost just like "good ol' times," everyone else huddled together like a bunch of schoolgirls (which wasn't too far from the truth) and discussed.

"Dick, you have to go away for a second," Winter whispered while they were all together, "I have an idea and I know you'll just veto it."

The spiky black haired teen muttered a few things under his breath and backed away; back to Kori who now laid across the chair that Richard had abandoned.

Once they had come out of their circle, Winter allowed Betty to tell this one.

"Girl, you gotta, what was the word you used? Oh yeah, stroke. You have to stroke Dick's hair."

Rayne grinned and scurried over to her male friend's side. He had, of course, heard the dare, and he was finding the game more and more unintelligent and ill-witted every moment.

Upon approaching him she moved her hand up to his head slowly; the same way one would try to pet a new dog without frightening it, and stroked the hair feeling what can only be described as ecstasy.

"You know," she commented with a philosopher's look in her eyes, "I always thought your hair would be soft."

Feeling a bit strange about having one of his female friends… stroking… his hair, he ducked away a little bit so that she would stop it and he responded.

"Yeah," he replied, "It used to be but then I changed hair gels and now it's… Rubber."

The rest of the table was quiet for a while. McDonalds still had not cleared from the lunchtime rush so there was still a ton of food being made to fill the ton of emptiness in American's stomachs; children whined from tables in other parts of the restaurant about the toy they had gotten, or not gotten, in their Happy Meals, and cars whizzed by out on the street.

Vesta sipped on her chocolate milk shake a little bit until she satisfactorily heard the bubbling sound that came when it was empty, and sighed happily.

"I just love McDonalds. Don't you?""

* * *

**scathac's warrior**: Hello, how are you? I feel really dead tired right now. (it's the middle of the night) Blah. I was really disappointed in that chapter as well. Honestly, I am pretty much disappointed in thewhole story so far. But yeah...Hope you liked this chapter better:-d 

**Golden-Sama**: I am waiting for the end with bated breath. I thiink that it's bad that Canada gets it first for two reasons - one is that they get it first, heh, a self explanitory reason, and the other is because I will be much too tempted to read the spoilers. Because I really want to see them really bad when they appear, but I don't want to ruin it. Argh! lol. You want to live in Holly o' Wood? I don't think I could stand it... Too much sun... hehe. I forgot the elephant again. Bloody muffins. Well:shrugs, I guess I'll just have to deal with it... Wow I'm random.

**Rose: **Hello! How are you, loves? I really started to laugh when you answered the part about the "how does that make you feel" question. I never would have thought of that - I was too busy jumping up and down and going "Wheee!" Wow I'm kind of hyper... Yeah:-d Well I'm glad you reviewed and, once again, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**Tidus'luvr**: Hey Hilly! Yeah, I kind of updated. I don't know what else to say. Do you think that I'm getting better at writing yet? I sure hope so... Aggh. I hope that the sequel to this (right. the sequel. the one that prolly won't start till next year) is better than this one. I really don't have much to say... Yeah. Hasta la byeybes!

**xBxMYxJAMESxDEANxcandyclouds**: oh don't hate me. I know you don't hate me. You still loooooooooooove me no matter what you say. Okay, you didn't even say that you hate me but... whatever. So anyways, I hope that your Bye Bye Birdie audition goes GOOD. (lol... bad grammar) I wish I could try out with you. Blah. I hope that you're satisfied that I at least updated today instead of next thursday. Byebyes!

* * *

**QUESTION TO ANSWER IN REVIEW:**

1. What's the deal with socks? You put two in and you take one out. I mean, where do they go! (Words of Maria Christina-Lucia, Private Eye)

* * *

**-note**- Doom is my new favourite word. Hehehe. My sister thinks that I am insane and that I am going to die when I go to college. Let me explain. I am happy on a normal school night if I get eight hours of sleep. My sister says that, the way I'm busy and pushing myself now, I am going to have some kind of mental breakdown or something when I get out of high school. Lol. By the way, I finished this chapter at about 12:15 (ish)… that gives me about six hours of sleep, give or take. :shrugs:. At least my state tests are over… I don't even think I have anything important going on today. (Friday) 

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Twelve"  
The weekend is the only part of the story that I'll do this with; making it shorter and all, but the next chapter is the next day. And guess what that is? Sunday. Muhahaha. You shall see, you shall see… Can any of the Titans sing, do you know?


	15. Twelve

**-note**- (Thursday, June 9) so, yay, I got a 97 on my NYSMA. YAY! That was a lot better than I thought I'd gotten. But it wasn't TOO bad when I was there… By the way, for those of you who do not know; NYSMA stands for New York State Music Association and a NYSMA festival is when you prepare a piece which is categorized between levels 1-6(1easiest, 6hardest) on your given instrument or you sing it, you go into a classroom with a judge, you play your piece, you play a few scales, and you sight read a little bit, and they grade you a lot. I could go into the specifics of it, but then you would all get bored… Heh. I did a level 5 on my flute…

And by the way. I got a high three on my ELAs (Another standardized test.). When I found out this I did many things. First, I looked at it wide-eyed as if this wasn't actually happening (the paper), then I snapped at my Mum, then I kind of yelled at my Mum, then I cried (I REALLY SERIOUSLY CRIED, TYVM!) and grumbled and got REALLY pissed off and went for a run. This was last week RIGHT before my NYSMA festival. Grarrg. Sorry. I just had to rant a little bit. Did anyone else who lives in New York get their scores back?

**-dedication**- This chapter is dedicated to WHENICOMEAROUND. She hasn't read the full story yet, but then I haven't finished reading hers either. So we're even. JATE ALL THE WAY! WOO LOST! (yes, I am promoting another television series in a Teen Titans fic) LOVE YA GIRL!

* * *

**Chapter** **Twelve**

* * *

_  
(continued from the previous chapter)  
__Winter's eyes bugged wildly as she saw the two superheroes appear before the stage. Yes, they were in Jump City and yes, Maria had been playing the Teen Titans theme song – their cue for trouble – but she had never expected them to hear it from, oh, who knows where they were.  
__Over by the stage they continued to speak to Maria in hushed tones while the audience whispered amongst themselves and some of them got out paper, pencils, pens, or napkins to try and get autographs on. John came up to Winter and began to peg her with questions.  
_"_What are they doing here? Is this your doing? Should I go get them away from the stage? Where's my camera?"  
__Winter, being snapped out of her happy state she had been in when the superhero prom king and queen; Robin and Starfire had appeared, just kind of gave John a pouty look that said she wanted him to go away.  
_"_I don't know."  
__He probably would have continued to annoy the blonde and red haired teen further, but Robin and Starfire were now standing on the stage with Maria – Starfire behind a drum set which had somehow appeared and Robin behind the microphone, and they were doing a check.  
__After a few moments while they did this and the girls in the audience swooned over Robin (the guys were too cool to 'swoon' over Starfire; they simply spoke to each other of her 'bod.'), the boy wonder spoke into the microphone.  
_"_And here's OUR rendition of the Teen Titans theme song!"  
__And thus the song began – the leader of the show singing, Maria on the knife and humming along, and Starfire banging on the toms and the cymbals.  
_"_Good night, folks."_

There is always much debate in my small, worthless brain about where to start a chapter. Who should be the first character to speak? What about the setting – will it be morning, the middle of the night, right before Gar bites into a delicious slice of vegetarian pizza, or right as someone is about to sneeze? Well all of these questions, and then some, were all echoing in my mind as I tried to imagine how to begin this chapter.

So I decided to figure out what to do by random.

To help me do this I have written on many different little deices of paper the names of all the characters, the names of a bunch of random places, and actions. Okay. (By the way, I'm serious. I really am doing this.) So I put them all in different bins. I don't have any hats, really, so the bins it was.

In bin one, under names; I am shaking it up… (:hums the jeopardy theme:)… and I pulled out…. Speedy. Euh – Speedy's boring, so I am going to pick someone else. And that person is… Achilles. Now _THAT's_ an interesting couple o' boys.

Let us continue. Their scene could be in one of many different places; most of which I don't even really remember. This time they get to be at a water/theme park.

And, back to the picking – in the last hat the action is… Nope. Ew. That one isn't going to happen. Okay, so now I just put that one back into the bin without comment and shake it again… Now I pick a different one – Woodworking. Achilles and Speedy will be woodworking at a water/theme park. Shall I begin? That is probably a good idea…

Though the calendar now read September instead of the months that officially are known for summer, the early morning sun beat down on two teenage boys with a surprising amount of heat. Though it was still before eight, Speedy and Achilles were becoming uncomfortable – and not only because it was just the two of them; complete opposites who hated each other. (NO THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A BLOODY YAOI CHAPTER!... Back to the story)

So how did they end up – together – walking down the street with only themselves for company? As you may be asking that, I, too, am asking how they ended up going just the two of them, but some questions are simply not meant to be answered.

It was not a terribly far walk to the place where they were going – less than a mile as a matter of fact - but while they walked it seemed much longer. Coming to the gates of Aqua Land, the nearest theme park, they sighed in great relief. This was their destination.

Being as it was a Sunday morning, especially since it was September, there were not many people roaming the cobblestone pathways which led to the rides and the concession stands. Those who were working seemed to, by this time of the year, hate their jobs; whether it be the heat or just where they worked, and the two males walked past them all.

There was a reason they were there, and that was not to flirt with the cute concession stand girls; unfortunately for Speedy. (Right. Like any of those girls would be so stupid as to go out with HIM) They were not at the park to use the water rides – although a few of them were looking very tempting right about then with all of that heat – nor the roller coasters or the Ferris wheel.

Finding their way to the back of the park where they had been told to go was easy, finding what they were looking for.

The woodworking class.

"WELCOME!" Bellowed a big voice. It wasn't masculine, but it wasn't exactly the image of femininity either. After hearing this, any thoughts of just turning around and leaving did not even dare entering Speedy and Achilles brains – they were too terrified.

Looking, they saw that the voice belonged to a large woman. A large woman for a large voice. The two of them began to tremble under her presence as you often do when you see someone such like this. She was over six and a half feet tall – but of course they didn't have a measuring stick so they couldn't be sure. Her hair was a frizzy black; short and cut badly to stick out at odd angles and scare the living crap out of your bums. And no, to stop any bad thoughts, they did not poo on themselves.

"Um, thank you?" Speedy tried as he sweat dropped.

With a big grin on her face, she wrapped her large arms around the two boys' necks and steered and pulled them towards the tables where they would be working. There was no one else standing at them – well, no one that either of them considered to be important. There was someone else who appeared to be working there, and someone who was probably his son or some other type of close relative, but no one who had willfully signed up to participate of the whittling and the carving of pieces of tree trunks.

"You boys are the first ones to show up!" The woman had a thick accent but not anything they could recognize. She spoke all of her syllables correctly as someone who was just learning the language might, but the twang was something very American. Neither of them could place it, though.

They 'boys' gave nervous smiles as they approached the table; their minds spinning wildly to accumulate excuses to leave the area. Though they tried, the whole of their brains were filled with too much nervousness to think of anything but the very present situation.

And what exactly was that, may I ask? The two of them were most likely simply afraid of wood, big knives, or large women, but I cannot be sure so I do not want to make an assumption only to find it to be a terrible one and a wrong one. When you are scared there is no rationalism. Just fear.

"Well," the lady continued, releasing Achilles and Speedy from the death grip she held around their necks (although she had meant it in a friendly way), "My name is Kartika. During our workshop we'll give you the freedom that you want to accomplish what you want to. If you need any help, I'll be right there to cheer you on!"

(Just a thought; no she is not anyone from the series. Just a random walk-in character.)

Kartika's speech sounded rehearsed but she recited it with such vigour that the younger teens' eyes opened a little bit wider in awe. Though still respectively frightened, they felt somehow drawn to this creature of womanhood.

"So," Achilles broke the innocence spell with his toneless words, "You're just going to give us wood and a bunch of dangerous tools and let us do whatever we want with them?"

For most people, teachers, parents, siblings and friends, including Speedy beside him, this little comment would terrify the hair out of the person's scalp. The spiky haired boy beside Achilles was looking at him with a horrified demeanor to him; eyes wide open – wide enough to let the bugs in – and his mouth equally large in its open size.

The lady in front of them was, obviously, unfazed. Maybe she was used to rebellious, dark teenagers, and maybe she just didn't care, but she shrugged and replied, "For the most of it. If you do not know how to use something just ask for me but if you steal something there'll be hell to pay."

All of this was said lightly and she left the two of them, to go watch for other people to participate in their woodworking class whether they had signed up or not, with a carefree wave; leaving them both open mouthed this time.

"Uh," Speedy said, clearly unsure of what words he should string together in sentence format afterwards.

Achilles put a mask of carelessness on his face and gave an equally carefully apathetic shrug. "This is going to be pointless."

**

* * *

**  
Throughout the next ten or so minutes, a few geeky looking people showed up. Whether they actually had signed up to come to this work-shop is still unknown, as the lady seemed to be grabbing random people from the path, but Achilles looked fairly tempted to leave his companion; the idiot Speedy, and hang out with them. 

Among the tools that were left on the tables to be worked with were an array of wood types, screws, screwdrivers, nails, hammers, wood glue, normal clue, confetti, saws of various shapes and sizes, drills, pliers, finger nail polish, solder, soldering irons, iron, copper, wire, markers, yarn, batteries, DNA, a bottle of water, and many other strange objects. At first Achilles and Speedy did not know where to start and were feeling the urge, once again, to leave the bore and fright that awoke in this 'class,' but every time that they looked to try to find a good escape route, there seemed to be a large lady with frizzy black hair in the way.

Two of the nerds/geeks/whoosamawhatsits were having a conversation across the table, but they could still be heard clearly by Speedy and Achilles.

(btw- nothing against geeks. I am a geek but… whatever)

"No really," Geek 1 said earnestly, "Chicks dig things that you made for them. It gets 'em off your back, too."

Geek 2 looked hopeful. "Really? Geekess won't leave me alone. So if I give her something I made here she'll –"

" - Be so happy that you will have her away within moments. Bribe her and she'll take it," Geek 1 responded.

Speedy snickered under his breath, muttering something that Achilles could only somewhat hear. It included the phrase of "In your dreams" somewhere in it, though, and the black haired teen rolled his eyes.

"You have a real problem with your ego," he noted to the red/orange (?... can't remember) haired guy beside him, "And your ranting is pointless. It won't help you get a girlfriend."

The boy who wishes that he were an exact replica of Dick and not simply a clone put down the piece of wood that he was whittling, a long block of wood that no one could exactly identify yet, and seethed. "Well – well – YOU ALWAYS WEAR GIRLY EYELINER!"

"Man," Achilles soon replied, "Don't diss the 'liner."

The two were quiet once again; the Geeks ranting on in their own little world – maybe even universe – about how they were going to use their projects to get the girls, or, in Geek 2's case, to get them away. Both Achilles and Speedy began to work again; Speedy on his long… stick thing that is still not quite intelligible at this time, and Achilles sawing pieces of wood apart and gluing them together in the shape of some kind of box.

It was nearly two minutes later that Achilles spoke again, "And I don't _always_ wear it. That would be conformity."

* * *

The time did not pass by quickly. Achilles checked his phone and the numbers read 8:45 and both boys groaned at their lack of time flying. Geek 1 asked, as the cell phone was pulled out, what time it was as well, and when he was told, his reaction was almost the opposite. 

"Wow!" he exclaimed, "Time really flies when you're havin' fun!"

Speedy and Achilles exchanged a look. It clearly stated that this was not quite their idea of 'fun.'

On the bright side, it seemed like they were both just about finished with their little 'projects.' Speedy's, which had for a long time just looked like a block of wood with chips of wood cut off of it, now looked like a bow, even though it had yarn instead of the stretchy cord that a real bow would use. He also had one arrow which he was just about finished with – it didn't have any feathers but it was sprinkled with sparkly confetti.

Achilles project, which had, earlier, been simply a box, now showed itself to be the great birdhouse it was. Its sides were coloured with markers – mostly black and a little bit of red and the whole was decorated with skulls, ghosts, flames – you know, the general thing that really freaks birds out and makes them stay away from it. On the top it had a fake chimney protruding straight up, and on the side of it was another piece of wood; this one shaped like a circle. On first glance it looked like a Wal-Mart (WALLY WORLD!) smiley face, but on the second glance it is seen for what it truly is. A frowning face.

Right when Achilles was putting his mobile phone back into his pocket he found it to be ringing. His eyebrows shot up and he brought it back in front of his face to see who was calling.

He did not comment on whoever's name showed up on the callerID, but he did, however, answer the phone with a name.

"Hi, Vesta."

He did not say much, but it did not seem like the conversation was very long on the other line either, and, within about 30 seconds, he was, once again, putting the phone in his pocket. This time it made it all the way in without ordeal.

Leaning in a little closer to his companion, Speedy, who was obviously wondering what Vesta had called for, he spoke in a hushed tone.

"This is when we walk away slowly. If Kartika comes, we tell her that I just got a call that a relative is having a baby."

The two nodded together in tendon (sp?), both with deadly serious expressions on their face. Now was the time to get out of there. An hour is long enough for these boys, though, even though they would never admit it, it wasn't all THAT bad for them.

They were about to turn and leave when one of the geeks, I believe it was Geek 1, called them back. Turning their heads back towards the table they saw Geeks 1 and 2 holding Achilles' birdhouse in their arms with reverence and awe.

"Um, you can keep it?" Achilles monotonously asked, not sure what they meant.

"NO!" Geek 1 cried, "You must give it to the girl! It's the best way to pick up chicks! They love guys that work with their hands!"

Geek 2 looked at Geek 1 as if he were a traitor. "Why would he want to pick her up? Obviously she is a pain in the ass and he wants to use this for the good of all mankind and to bribe her away from him. You said so yourself that it works."

"That's just in your case."

Achilles cast an exasperated look towards the path, which was, for once, not being guarded by Kartika. "Just give me the bird house," he commanded, holding out his hand. The hand did not stay empty long, for the geeks put the birdhouse on it immediately. They did not say anything further, though, as they were fighting among themselves about whether or not he would use the homemade piece to get rid of 'the girl' or to get her closer.

"Hello boys!" Kartika said with great joy, appearing in front of them before they could reach the path and their freedom, "Where are you going?"

"Our cousin is having a baby and we're her only family nearby. We just got the call." Speedy was quick to insert their planned story into the conversation. He almost sounded desperate as he said it.

"A BABY?" the lady exclaimed with vigor, "I love babies! I'll come too!"

Both of the teenaged boys, eyes wider than balled up fists, jumped to speak and fight away this woman menace.

"No!" they exclaimed together,

"They don't let non-family members in!"

"She'll be uncomfortable if she doesn't know you!"

"Babies are scared of people over twelve!"

"We're not even allowed in!"

After Speedy had released that quite ridiculous comment, the other two looked at him. Kartika with a suspicious look and Achilles with a 'way-to-go-loser' expression to grace his lovely features. No one else nearby spoke either, a bit… uncomfortable about the outbursts.

Kartika put her big hands, balled up into fists, on her hips. "So give me a straight answer. Are you going to go visit your cousin or not?"

Speedy, who had not noticed the look from Achilles and was still in his "I give up I'm going to tell the truth – please have mercy on me" state, got on his knees and began to beg in a whiny voice.

"No! We were going to go back home and we don't even know why we're here but we are and we're bored and one of our friends called and we told her we'd go see her. PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

Achilles, throughout Speedy's little speech and afterwards, did not move an inch. Except to yawn once at the end.

Laughter bellowed from Kartika and for a little while she could not speak because of the lack of breath due to this.

She seemed to be about ready to talk, but it was at this moment, while she turned to the side to cough and blow her nose, that Achilles grabbed Speedy off of the ground by the arm and they both made a run for it. They were tripping all over themselves in their hurry and state of freaked-out-ness, but they got out.

And both of them had their 'projects' still in one piece.

* * *

In the dorm room of Winter and Raven, it was strangely quiet. It isn't as though the two of them were generally too loud – okay, scratch that. If it were simply Raven I were talking about I could say that she was not generally loud, but Winter is another totally different story. She spends most of her mornings belting out the lovely and – er – melodious sounds of 'all that jazz' from Chicago and the low and sad but still loud notes of 'for good' from Wicked. 

But this morning, though the blonde and red haired girl was present, it was quiet. Vesta hung up her cell phone when she had completed her call and Winter, Rayne and Raven watched her, waiting to see what was up.

The dirty blonde girl whipped toward them and, in a very anime chibi-like manner, grinned; her fingers stretched into the symbol for peace.

"Yup!" Vesta said, her happiness almost bubbly, "He'll be here in a few minutes."

Congruently the other three released a little bit of air in relief. They did not want to be present if Achilles was not going to show up. If that had been the case then they would have immediately concocted excuses to simply run away.

"Good," Raven said, "Now can you all get out?"

"Oh come on," Winter chided, knowing her roommates limits and pushing them, "You know that you would just LOVE to come with us to find Achilles and… Speedy."

"Actually, I'd rather not."

With a shrug, they all respected her wishes.

"Vesta," Rayne said once they were safely in the hall, "I think that the media is using subliminal messages again."

The other girl's eyes widened in what seemed like disbelief. She was probably thinking 'oh no!' or 'how could they!' or 'cool how do I – I mean… nooo!' based on that look that Winter and Rayne saw. Since she didn't answer, Winter got into the conversation.

"What are they doing this time?" she asked. The three of them were now outside the dorm hall and walking down the path. It was still quite early morning, especially for high school students to be up and about, so of course they were the only ones on the path as they got closer to the edge of the campus.

Raynes eyes glittered evilly. "They're telling us to –"

Vesta interrupted the redhead's answer with her squeal. Her face no longer seemed to care about what was going on with the television cult. "Look!" she said, looking ahead of them about 100 meters. Where she was pointing were two boys, about their age, running as if running from the Devil his very self, and they could barely seem to keep on their feet.

The funny thing was, though, that absolutely nothing was behind them at all.

Rayne and Winter watched blank-facedly while Speedy and Achilles bolted towards the three of them; Vesta was grinning.

"Where'd you guys go?" Rayne asked when they were standing in front of them. Standing is an overstatement. They were doubled over at their waists and doing their best to pant in enough air to circulate.

Being as they were slightly out of breath, it took Speedy a moment to answer. "We…(pant, pant) were at the water park… (pant, pant) doing woodworking."

The two inverted to Vesta cracked up. You have to admit; it is funny.

"Hey! That's not fair," Speedy protested, suddenly not seeming so out of breath, righteous… yeah, we'll call it righteous… indignation pushing him forward, "We were hoarded at this table with these two geeks who were like 'blah, blah, blah' and a lot of wood and then there was this big lady who wouldn't let us leave and wouldn't go away and then she LAUGHED AT ME!"

He was furious. Everyone ignored him. For this he seethed even more.

"Dude," Winter pointed out, "Your birdhouse is ace! Wicked!"

"Yeah. It's for Vesta."

The dark boy handed over the equally dark birdhouse to the girl standing in front of him. Well, it wasn't exactly 'dark;' how dark can a birdhouse be, but it wasn't flowery either. Vesta took it with a happy but awed look on her face. Not that she thought the boy's woodworking was spectacular or anything, but she found the action sweet. And the smiley/frowney face on the chimney made her want to crack up.

"Achilles, it's so cool!"

It is still in question whether Achilles meant to follow Geek 1 or Geek 2's theory in this action.

**

* * *

**

**review replies...**

**xBxMyXJaMeSxDeaNxcandyclouds**: by the time you read this school will already be over. Euh… Anyways, I know that I changed it up; but I just couldn't do the planned chapter yet. I'm still teetering on the brink of putting this story in a coma (the first time I wrote this I accidentally typed 'this coma in a story') and working on something else. But, never fear, I probably won't. I am just having one of those days/weeks/moments that you get when you have been up every night of the week till about 1 AM to work on a literary piece other than this fanfiction. Um… Something like that. I think I'm just tired of the late nights this week and the fact that I didn't get this done yet. Oh blah. Knowing you, you probably understood every word I just typed, so I won't even say that you probably didn't understand that but… Oh dear. Soooo… We have to get together as a band and do some practicing. Keep writing songs… and all that jazz. By the way, just so you don't forget (I'm reminding Hillary too!), you two have your intermission on July 7. I know that you won't be around that week, but I still want you and Hill to write it together. Unless you don't want to. Okay. Goodbyes. Love ya!

This is the second half to your review reply review. Thing. I wrote Mo I really long review. If you don't catch who Mo is, look at Golden-Sama's review reply and then you'll get it. I wrote a review for him too… It wasn't quite as long as your review would have been but it was long. Like two full pages or something like that (but it was small font.). It's going to take up a whole page of reviews… Okay, maybe not. I think that it's a competition to see who has the longest with him. And we started it, somehow.

**Golden-Sama**: Hehe… We are not only stalkers, but guilt trippers as well. I think we're getting good at this game. If you want us to stop bugging you constantly we'll stop. :coughcough: I really don't know what to say right now. It is 9:22 PM but it feels much later. Maybe it's the combined amounts of sleep I've gotten this week. I don't believe I've slept more than 6 hours a night this week – I most certainly have slept LESS than that, though. I wonder if this review reply sounds depressing. Sometimes things, when read by other people, have a different kind of feel than what you were feeling when you wrote it. Like when I write in an Irish accent. Or English. Or Southern. Do you have a southern accent? That was kind of random. So was this whole review reply thing. But, you can't deny it, everyone loves to get really long reviews, review replies, emails, and/or comments on their online journals. :-d. I'll leave you be now.

But only after I'm done saying that I will now call you Mo from now on. Don't ask me why. I like the name Mo. And not Moe, or Mow, but Mo. It kind of rolls off of your lips like… chewing gum. So…. See ya later, Mo!

**Tidus'luvr**: Don't kill me for not updating Thursday. Or any other day. And don't cut off the circulation to my arm either. (:rubs arm where it is sore:) lol. I promise to change! But it is probably too late to be saying that – by the time this chapter is uploaded and you have read this chapter you will probably have killed me already. I say we kidnap Schnookums and make him appear at our party as a boy-band lover person. (do you notice how long ago I wrote this review reply? It must have been a while…) Grr. I am really dead right now. What should I talk about? Hm. ACHILLES! Did you like Achilles in this chapter? I know that you know that this was supposed to be the church chapter but I couldn't write it today. Or yesterday. Or any day this week. So I just began to write and tried to wing it. Then I had to change the formatting of all the rest of the chapters I had planned. By the way, just so you don't forget (I'm reminded Caitlyn too) your guys' intermission is July 7. :-d TTYL – LOVE YA!

**Rose**: I only saw Halloweentown once... but that was a while ago. I remember when I saw it i was at some girl's birthday party and I was TERRIFIED all night. I was only six or seven, but I still find it hillarious when I think about it now. lol. Sorry I skipped a week, but I'm going to try to update twice next week to get back on track. Shh. Just don't tell anybody. :-d

**scathac's warrior: **heh, heh... Sorry it took so long, lol... I have had a lot on my plate of life food. Okay, so that's a really, really bad excuse but i had to say it because it popped into my head and I was like... YEAH! Um, I had ramen noodles for lunch. The first time I've had them in a while, actually. Do you ever go to tvtome? I suddenly hate it. They reformatted it, and its no longer tvtome and its CONFUZZLING! argh. Just had to rant about that a bit... I love to rant to people randomly and they usually have no clue why I'm mumbling to them... :-d

**TTHPfan**: You know what?I despise pop ups, but I can't block them because then the stupid pop up blocker blocks self induced pop ups such as sites that pop up into separate windows and reviewing boxes on FFn. Argh. It's a double edged sword. I wish I could sneak out and use the computer at night, but since my mummy and my stepdad got married and I moved in with him we no longer have a computer for the kids and a computer in my mom's room; it's all in the living room and it's my stepdad's. SO if i want to use itI have to ask him and he has to put in the password for his computer. He has a very fragile harddrive and doesn't want us killing it. Have you ever noticed that about Dell computers? The fact that they basically suck? lol... stupid bill gates :-p Life DOES go by fast. I have been saying that all year. This year has been the fastest year I have ever had to go through, and it's been the best. I can't decide whether that's because I was having fun or because I'm just getting older. My mum tells me often that it just gets faster... oh deary. YES! The idea that you have of working for the people who work for Teen Titans is excellent! Even though right now I mostly hate DC Comics (for reasons I will explain if you wish) it would be so cool to know someone who worked there. Anyways, I am going to update this now, but I hope you read and review in the future:-d

* * *

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Thirteen"  
_Victor stood up as straight as his back could hold him, singing out the notes with the choir. The only problem was – well – he was holding his hymnal upside down. And the words looked as if they were in a different language to him.  
_"_La, la, la, I don't speak Latin, or Filipino or Japanese - but, wait a sec," he listened to the choir for a moment, before 'catching on,' "I once was on lost, but now they're cancelled. Was white but now I'm green!"_


	16. Thirteen

**-note/warning**- this chapter is not meant to offend anyone. That is all I can say without giving it all away, but don't worry; no offense is meant at all…

**-dedication**- I dedicate this chapter to someone who hates Teen Titans. I'm working on her, though. She has never read this story, either. Her name is Katie. Some of you may know her, and some of you are probably just skipping over this little snippet anyway.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

(This contains spoilers. Don't read if you haven't seen 'the end' or don't like spoilers)  
_The night was young. The café slowly filled with its usual inhabitants for Wednesday nights, including one girl who carried a laptop case under her right arm. She yawned, coming up to her table, and put the bag on the tabletop. Pulling out not only a laptop but also two bottles of water, she sat down and waited.  
__Within moments of her arrival, another girl also came in the door from the dark outdoors and sat at the table with her.  
_"_So," Vesta began, "Boy, are YOU dead."  
__The blonde and red haired girl shrugged, typing the keys down one at a time, slowly. "Yep," was the only way she replied.  
__The two were silent for a few moments, just kind of spacing out in their own little worlds. Then Winter spoke. "I have the information for the end; part two."  
__On the taller girl's face her eyes widened drastically. "Really? Terra doesn't come back, does she?"  
__Winter sniffled, and wiped a tear from her eye. "No… It's worse."  
__Vesta rolled her green eyes, leaning back in her tall chair. She was worried about it, but spending time with certain apathetic people rubbed off on her. She waited for Winter to tell her on her own time.  
__This wasn't very long, apparently. "Don't blame me, but…. Beast Boy's evil side tells him that Terra dumped him because he's stupid or something but the really bad part is… well… he CRIED!"  
__The two were silent for a little while. Winter's rushed speech was followed by her downing all of the water in both of her water bottles and hyperventilating as if she had just run a race.  
_"_Um… I…" Vesta pulled a few strands of her curly hair behind her ear and she and Winter reacted at the same time.  
_"_AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
__And no, this was not a hyper, happy, fangirl scream. This was the scream of bloody murder that can only take place when a bad coupling is even just mentioned.  
__John looked at the two, hardly fazed, from where he was standing by the counter. He spoke to the drinks guy.  
_"_I'm gonna need to get them some water."_

"Come on you guys, you're wimps!" Winter called to her straggling friends behind her. Every time that all of them went somewhere as a group, nowadays, Victor did not even want to dare imagine what would happen if they all stuffed inside of his car so they ended up walking. But where they were headed now, at 9:37 on a Sunday morning, was nearly a mile away. And Garfield, Vesta, and Achilles were lagging behind; obviously tired at this 'long' journey.

It was another gorgeous day; a few birds flew above their heads making patterns spelling out subliminal messages across the colbat sky which no one noticed, the air was warm and therefore ignored, and the twelve friends took up a big part of the sidewalk. If there had been passerby they probably would have wondered what the hell was going on but, then, there isn't really all that much passerby on a Sunday morning so we shouldn't worry about that.

"Winter," Garfield whined while he walked a little faster to catch up with the rest of the group; Vesta and Achilles were simply ignoring the blonde and red haired girl, "Are we there yet?"

Raven rolled her eyes and responded before Winter could, "Of course. That's why we're still walking."

They continued their walking.

"Well," Winter commented. They had been silent for a few moments and she was the first to break it, "We should be there SOON anyway."

Vesta rolled her eyes. She and Achilles were still not walking with the group but they had caught up. "How soon, exactly, is soon?" her voice was a little sarcastic. It is becoming a collective belief that Achilles is rubbing off on her.

The blonde and red haired teenaged girl looked around her as if lost in the wilderness. She licked her finger and held it above her head; measuring which direction the wind was coming from. She then looked at her watch and to her left. "Soon is right now. I'm sorry to say that I miscalculated."

Winter was facing a building off the sidewalk and the rest of the group collectively turned as well. Their eyes feasted on a huge cathedral – stone in structure with medieval type doors and a stone tower jutting up into the blue morning sky. In unison there was a sound of "Oooooh," coming from the group while they looked at it in awe.

Yep. Winter had decided that morning that they needed to go to church.

Walking in was a very informal affair. They got strange looks and some "look how cute" smiles from others entering the church, but most of the time they were just ignored. A lot of people were walking in but they were engrossed in their own affairs and didn't care to look at twelve random teenagers who just happened to be walking into the church at that moment.

The lobby was crowded, but the teens didn't stay in there to mingle. Instead they walked; crouched together in a protective circle, into the main hall of the building.

"Ooh!" Garfield squealed, pouncing on the little bowl of water beside the door from which people ahead of him had taken a bit. He pulled some out on his fingers and used it to slick down his hair. Looking around, he whined, "Where's the mirror! I need to know if this looks all right!"

His quest for a mirror was quickly cancelled, as he was slapped on the head annoyedly by Raven and bustled away by Winter and Rayne. Apparently his antics were not quite as comical to those girls as they were to him.

Kori was looking around her with wide eyes; interested in every picture, every painting, everything that she found to be beautiful. Presently she dragged Dick along with her in every direction to look at it all. The spike haired boy didn't seem to mind the part about being dragged around by a gorgeous girl, but he did seem a bit, well, stretched along.

As they walked inside, Betty and Emily shared a nearly guilty smile. They quickly showed each other the items in their hands and a release of stress came when they realized that the two of them were on the same page. They stuck together while Rayne and Winter, who had dropped Garfield, looked around for a place to sit. Raven was walking with the two of them, but she was silent – her hood was up and she did not utter a word. (utter, udder, the stupid Calvin and Hobbs udder joke thing… wow I'm weird.)

Achilles and Vesta did their best to look as evil and dark as they possibly could. Somehow, on the way there, they had reapplied both of their eyeliner to the best of their gothic abilities and their faces both held scowls toward the general direction of the world.

Meanwhile, Speedy just stared; lost as a poor boy could be.

* * *

All of the teens took up two smaller pews in the back right side of the church. In the front of the two sat, from left to right, Kori, Dick, Victor, Garfield, Emily, and Betty, and, in the row behind them (from left to right), Winter, Rayne, Raven, Vesta, Achilles, and Speedy. This order does not matter at all. I came up with it off of the top of my head so it doesn't have any secret hidden meanings or anything. 

"Will you please," the priest implored after the service had begun, "Turn in your hymnals to number two-oh-six."

Most everyone stood up. Vesta and Achilles remained seated, but that was only because they were still putting up their "I'm really, really, really, mucho dark" exteriors.

The song was Amazing Grace, a very well known hymn to just about everybody, and Victor stood up as straight as his back could hold him, singing out the notes with the choir. The only problem was – well – he was holding his hymnal upside down. And the words looked as if they were in a different language to him.

"La, la, la, I don't speak Latin, or Filipino or Japanese - but, wait a sec," he listened to the choir for a moment, before 'catching on,' "I once was on lost, but now they're cancelled. Was white but now I'm green!"

Garfield, catching the last line and taking it personally, whacked his poor friend on the arm. The African American noticed this and growled down at Gar, who immediately gave a sweat drop worthy grin and inched away.

After standing where he was for a few moments beside the loudly singing teen beside him, he grew a little bored. He was tempted very badly to pull out his gameboy and play Zelda or Mario brothers but he knew that if someone else saw him he'd be toast. A lightbulb turned on in his head; the Eureka bells chimed and he, when he was sure no one was looking, dove under the wooden seat and laid there on his belly; playing his gameboy.

Kori's eyes were on the choir, seeming to find them intriguing while they sang the hymn. All around her everything seemed to be different and new and exciting. And every time she saw something even remotely awe inspiring she would tug on Dick's arm from his spot beside her and point to it eagerly.

Vesta randomly fell over onto Achilles shoulder; asleep. Achilles looked over at Raven desperately, wondering what to do, but the hooded girl ignored his silent pleas and continued to look forward.

Emily and Betty would exchange glances every so often and giggle as if they shared some great joke. When the song was over they sat down and whispered a little bit.

"Which should we do first?" Emily asked, grinning, "Wildlife or Veggie Tales?"

* * *

"Stupid, evil, Satanist monkeys," Vesta murmured in her slumber, "Go away and bother Achilles because he's the one who likes evil Satanist monkey butts in his face." 

A few people nearby turned toward the poor sleeping girl with strange looks on their faces – not sure what to get out of her little speech. Most of them either raised their eyebrows at the other teens surrounding her while others simply went back to listening to what the priest had to say.

"Well that's nice," Rayne sarcastically murmured toward the general direction of those sitting to her left.

The teenaged boy, who had, by Vesta, been said to like evil monkey butts in his face, shook his head and yawned. Pulling a tissue from his pocket without disturbing her sleep, he presently began ripping it up into strips.

He got a few strange looks from this action. Both from his friends and a few people nearby, but he didn't pay attention to this.

With an evil grin on his face to show the others who were watching that his ploy was not exactly a light and fluffy one, he put a piece of the tissue into both of Vesta's nostrils.

If you have ever been awoken by this form of torture, you know that it is a very annoying way to wake up. It is one of the most annoying, actually; right behind being slapped awake and having your hand put in a bowl of warm water. But, of course, knowing Vesta, and knowing the brain that our authoress owns, we all understand that this would not work too very well on the beach-esque dirty blonde haired person.

If you were one of the people who understood this, go to your kitchen and eat a cookie or a banana and pretend that it's from me.

Instead of waking up as our gothic friend had hoped, Vesta, instead, opened her mouth to breathe through that. His shoulder's slumped down in defeat when he noticed this and his eyes asked "can you believe this girl?" to whoever saw them.

But what was really lovely was when she began to snore.

Achilles' annoyed look on his face quickly turned to one of, well, "uh-oh," and he tried to shut her up. He probably debated pulling the pieces of tissue out of her nose, but, when you think about it, would you pull the tissue out of your friends' noses? I think that he likely found the prospect too disgusting. While he tried to think of a way to shut her up, more and more people snuck glances toward the two, and, with so much publicity, he began to shake her; waking her up was his last chance.

Nearby, the clone of Dick Grayson was watching the very boy he'd been cloned from with fury and envy in his eyes. He was ignoring Achilles and his strife to wake up Vesta – instead he was watching two people sitting in front of him and fingering the bow and arrow he had made in woodworking class that very morning.

Kori was leaning into Dick, whispering into his ear while he listened intently. Speedy had no clue what they were talking about but this made him furious. He began to curse them out under his breath.

"Shhhh!" Winter warned him before turning her attention back to the front of the church.

He cursed her out as well, though silently. He put the arrow on the string of his bow; still holding it on his lap but making it ready to fire.

Emily and Betty hid in a corner of the pew, right next to the cold stone wall. Between them they held a small Wildlife colouring book; the very thing they had been hiding, talking, and looking guilty about, and they, like five year olds with little crayons stuffed in their fists, coloured ceaselessly inside and outside the predrawn lines.

"Stay on your own page!" Emily whispered. They were both colouring basically wherever they wanted to, so this was an empty threat.

"You stay on YOUR own page!" Betty whispered back, deliberately scribbling on the page that Emily had proclaimed as her own.

"You're a MEANY!" Emily whined aloud, gaining more attention towards their group.

All at the same time, Winter, Rayne, and Victor shushed her. But it was no use. She wouldn't shut up. Winter began to swing one of her legs back and forth to release the stress that was slowly but surely rising in her, but found her foot hitting something. She ignored this and continued to kick in that direction until a hand under the seat caught her foot and a voice from the same direction proclaimed loudly,

"Stop kicking me!"

It was Garfield's voice, Winter realized at quite the wrong time, and right as she realized this; that the green skinned boy had gone underneath the pew to play his gameboy, an arrow whizzed by her face and hit Dick in the back with dead accuracy.

It bounced off that surface, though; luckily. The dark haired boy turned around, feeling the piece of unsharpened wood hit his back (although it did not cause him pain) and began to fight with Speedy.

"This means war," he let the other boy know coolly.

Speedy glared in response, "It's always been war."

Kori looked between the two of them; confused. "Why are you two speaking of a fight between peoples? In Tamaran, there is always some type of war going on. If you are joking it is not very funny."

Vesta's snoring, Speedy and Dick's war speeches, Emily's whining, and Gar's short outburst – these things make noise. And this noise was noticed very much by the other people in pews nearby until practically the whole of everyone sitting in the church was looking at them. Except the priest, that is, who continued to preach.

Garfield pulled himself from under the wooden structure, rubbing his side where Winter probably had been kicking him, and holding the silver gameboy in his hands.

"I think that it would be best if we got out of here," Rayne whispered to Winter, who was also trying to find the best escape strategy.

"Should we just bolt," Winter asked in reply, "Or would it be safer to just sneak out?"

Vesta sat up, her eyes looking blurry and groggy. She pulled the tissue from her nostrils with a questioning glance toward Achilles, who pretended to not notice her looking at him, and after Winter and Rayne saw this and the amount of havoc that was building up, they nodded to each other.

"Yeah," Winter decided.

Rayne finished her sentence for her, "We bolt."

Grabbing as many people as they firmly could, Rayne and Winter ran out the nearest door of the church on the count of three. Everyone with them was confused, but Vesta, who was intoxicated with sleep, was giggling. Their flight ended when they were nearly a block away from the stone building.

Winter made an announcement.

"New rule," she said, "I'm not allowed to drag you guys anywhere at the same time ever again."

* * *

They walked away towards their schools together. Speedy seethed; mourning the loss of his arrow which still sat on the floor of the church and mad that he and Dick hadn't been able to finish their war proclamations, but the rest of them were mostly just being quiet or talking in small groups. 

Raven, who had been quiet for nearly the whole of the morning, was having a very in depth discussion about the psychology of the Opera Ghost in the Phantom of the Opera with Rayne. Achilles, for a moment when their conversation had begun, had attempted to break in with his theory of how Christine had actually been in love with the Phantom but the two teenaged girls shunned him and told him to go away.

"He had never known someone who would possibly accept him – she came to him freely, believing that he was an angel sent by her father, and he fell in love with her because of her compassion. However it was a sick love; twisted and dominating. He had to control her and it just didn't work out too well."

The nearly violet haired girl presented her battle to the redhead walking beside her in her, as always, monotonous voice. Rayne was ready, though, and spoke as well.

"He continued to pursue her even after she had told Raoul how much she didn't want to be in the dark anymore. He saw her beauty and heard her voice and was possessed. That's all; not love."

Garfield, who was wearing his thumbs out on his gameboy, looked up. He was walking behind the two girls with his brain being sucked into his mini gaming console in his hands but he'd heard snippets of the conversation. "Dude," he announced, "You guys are weird."

Raven got an annoyed look on her face, and that glare caused Gar to grin nervously and return to his playing.

The walking continued on.

"Everyone," Kori announced suddenly; coming out of her conversation, "Friend Betty and I will partake in a 'night out girls' this evening. Would anyone else care to join us?"

The lack of vote was unanimous. The red head and the African American girl walked away by themselves.

* * *

**  
REVIEWS ARE YUMMY! They make me SMILE!**

**Rose**: Well the ELAs are tests that fourth, eighth, and eleventh graders in New York State have to take every year. They're a pain in the bum, I tell you. Basically, they make you read a few essays, short stories, and poems, then you answer multiple choice questions about them. After that, the teacher reads you some story or essay twice; you take notes then answer MORE questions, then they usually make you write about two essays. One which isn't too bad which is all about facts, but the other which is really dumb and usually involves you telling a story about your life or a figure in history. And they make you do all this in like two or three hours. They don't sound that bad, but it's really just irritating I guess. To get a high 3, well, the tests are graded out of everyone in NY instead of a percentile of what you got wrong. You can get anywhere from a low 1 to a high 4… it's kind of hard to explain, do you get it? I'm REALLY bad at explaining things that I don't like… Sorry that I am kind of dead right now, I feel like falling over and going to sleep… Hope you liked the chapter!

**Golden**-**Sama**: Yes! Please let me hit 100! lol... I'll probably never make it. The story shall skip over 100 and just go back to 0 or something... lol. I'm going to start advertisng my story more. Maybe that will help. French accents seem to be pretty hard for me as well. I can't USUALLY just say "well this is myirish accent" and imitate it perfectly, but when I'm talking to someone who has any accent at all i can usually imitate it. I hate only getting like six hours of sleep... That was what it was like for me the last two and a half weeks of school (though now that I'm out there's a lot more sleeping in time) because I was up really late every night and I had to be up by like six. Argh. Sorry this chapter sucked... :-p

**Tidu'sluvr**: There won't be any more coupling action till the NEXT chapter then maybe a little bit after that. Then there's the intermission thing... Yeah. I can't type right now; I'm in a really big hurry because I bloody have no more time... but yeah. I'll talk to you later. CAITLYN GOT MOTHER MAE EYE! She downloaded it! But we have to watch it together. Or at least on the phone. I hear (from sources other than gooseducks) that it's going to be awesome. CAN'T WAIT:-D

**TTHPfan: **Well I don't HATE Dc Comics but I also am not too terribly fond of it either. They killed off STAR:hyperventilates: Maybe I don't want to know... it will kill my already tragified brain. I have a couple friends who have computers in their rooms too. I mean, I do, but it isn't on the internet. My mom actually likes it that way - she doesn't have to let me on the other computer too often because I have one in my room that I can do normal not online work on. I love the rain, but if I snuck out in the middle of the night I'd be in TROUBLE. lol. At my house you can hear everything. Where I used to live my sisters and my bedrooms were in a separate appartment from the rest of the house so if I wanted to sneak out I really easily could, but, strangely, I never did. Long reviews are great! I usually write long reviews - I also usually write long review replies as well but then this isn't TOO short or anything. Hm. Well I'm really, really glad that you like the story. It's always awesome to get new readers:-d

* * *

**-note**- there really isn't much for me to say. I am in an untraditionally melancholy state, so if it shows through my work I am terribly sorry. Argh. I just have a lot going on. I will update again either later tonight or tomorrow – depends on how much perseverance I have with finishing my next chapter and whether I'm leaving tomorrow or Saturday. If I'm leaving tomorrow then the update may be later. I am only updating so soon because the last chapter – chapter twelve – was a week late and now I'm behind… But once I update again I'll be back on that schedule of mine.  
Oh yes. And I'm sorry about its shortness. When I think about it; its shortness is nothing compared to how short my first chapters were, but for the moment it's pretty darn short. I promise to make it up to you. 

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Fourteen"  
Kori and Betty witness a mugging… you can only guess what that does to their sanity…


	17. Fourteen

-**note**- well I have to say that I'm disappointed in myself for not working on this story harder. I wish that I had finished it earlier but I just did not have the time nor brainpower. So I'll just work on getting back on task LATER. :-p

-**dedication**- Yay! Well guess what – My story is in the triple digits now, thanks to all that hard work that you all put in to giving me reviews :-p. SO, now that I am nice and happy (btw this is the first time I've ever gotten above 100) I dedicate this chapter to Pickles12, my 100th reviewer! Thank you lotses! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

_The café was always quiet. Goths and Artsy people bought their coffees, sipped them and listened to the poetry or the sultry sounds coming from a live band or the jukebox while only speaking quietly amoung themselves.  
__But always doesn't count Wednesday nights.  
__On her normal stool at her normal table drinking her normal water sitting in front of her normal laptop was the very normal essence of abnormality.  
__Winter was hyperventilating. Across from her sat another girl, one with long red hair (although natural unlike Winter's) was trying to get information out of her. Namely the basis of her hyperventilation.  
_"_So. Let's start from the top. You had a dream, and…?" Rayne was trying to walk her through the steps into telling her what was going on.  
__Winter reached her hands up to her hair and pulled on it desperately.  
_"_It was ho-o-o-orible," she whined, "And it was like that one time that I dreamt Duo and Heero kissed. Argh. Grr."  
__Rayne made an exasperated face and tried again.  
_"_Okay, this is the last time. What happened that's bumming you out so bad!"  
__The teen with short red and blonde hair took deep breaths. "You won't like it."  
_"_Did I ever imply that I would?"  
__Winter was quiet and chugged half of her bottle of water. "Mmm… Okay. Here it is..."  
__She stopped talking for a second then just blurted it out. "BEAST BOY AND TERRA KISSED IN MY DREAM!"  
__They both began to screech and freak out royally.  
__No, Wednesdays are never quiet at the café._

"After that, what then did he say?" Kori looked at Betty with wide eyes, asking the question excitedly.

The outdoor scene was one of a stereotypical city during the nighttime. Lights streams out from cafes, restaurants, and shops – both from windows and fluorescent signs – pouring over the people and streetcars where it wound down into a dull glow; a surreal effect floating above their heads.

The area was filled with mostly teenagers – students taking an evening off their schoolwork or trying to fit one last date with their boyfriend or girlfriend into their weekend before their busy schedules of classes began again – and this was because of the large amount of schools in the area; this was one of the very few hangouts that they could enjoy.

The redhead and the darker skinned girl did not stand out much from the many groups and cliques littering the sidewalks and streets. It was only the two of them; less than most of the other groups, but there were a few others that small; they didn't draw much attention to themselves that way. It was Kori's loud precise English that really drew attention.

"Well," Betty replied, equally ecstatic as she told Kori almost the whole of a movie she had seen, "The guy leaned in and –"

Her sentence was cut off by a scream of "THAT'S MY PURSE!" Betty and Kori turned around to see, in progress, a man and a woman both tugging on the strap of a black leather handbag – both trying to gain possession of it.

Looking down, they both realized that, over their shoulders, they too were carrying purses. In tendon they looked up and exchanged nervous glances. Then they looked back at the man and the woman fighting, then back at each other, then the crime scene, then each other, the fight, each other, the fight each other, the –

"AHHHHH!" The two teenaged girls screamed at the same time, running down the street, holding their pocketbooks to their chests as if they were precious babies.

They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, which, being as athletic as they both were was pretty fast. How far they ran, though, was slightly less impressive. After running a block and a half and yelling their lungs out they hid behind the side of a building in an alleyway, peering around the side of it to see if they and their purses were safe from any stray muggers.

"Phew," Kori sighed, relieved that they have gotten away, even though they had not even been targeted in the first place, "That was terrifying."

Betty, on the other hand, had a goofy kind of smile on her face. "That was awesome!" she exclaimed before gleefully adding, "It isn't over yet."

She was still looking around the corner of the building. In the dim, hovering lights she could see the very reason that they had been running. The man who had been fighting with the woman over the purse was running in the direction of the alley they were in, carrying the purse under his arm as he nervously watched his back to make sure that he was not being followed for his crime.

Kori saw this as well, and wondered in a suspecting way why her friend was so excited about it. Her eyes narrowed at Betty as she voiced this.

"Betty, why does this situation amuse you?"

A grin was the black girl's response - a grin and a signal in front of her smiling lips to tell her to be quiet. Kori backed further into the dark, empty, narrow street and watched in nervousness while Betty acted.

And how she acted was not as the redhead expected.

Betty peeked around the edge of the alley and watched. After a moment, though, she slowly pushed her foot out onto the sidewalk flatly, and immediately the man ran toward it, tripping very ungracefully. He fell flat on his front, and, before Kori realized what Betty had done, the African American girl had grabbed her by the arm and taken her, moving quickly, in the direction opposite from the one the man had been running.

Betty was laughing manically as she dragged her foreign friend down the street, and they flew at an insane pace through the crowds of teens and other people. Kori looked back at the thief who the had tripped before the two of them had gone too far and felt sorry for him; he was not quite sanding up yet and inspecting his scraped hands and arms which had been injured in the fall, but Betty did not give her much time to think about it. Before long they were two blocks away and in a different part of the city/town and that was when they slowed to a walk, much more certain that they were not going to get chased by the man for their purses or revenge anymore.

Though, when looking at Betty, she did not seem all too concerned about that anyway. It took her a few minutes to stop her sainless laughter, and when she did there was an annoyed Kori looking at her with all of her height stretched to her fullest, hands on her hips with her eyes, once again, narrowed at the other girl.

"Why did you hurt him?" Kori demanded righteously, "Now he will be bitter and attempt thievery with other women's handbags along with a more evil heart and hatred towards you. It was very unwise!"

Rolling her eyes, Betty mentally brushed away the advice.

"Yeah, sure," She said, reaching up to pat Kori's shoulder, "He doesn't know who I am. He probably just thinks that he tripped over a stray stick."

"Then how would he think to explain the manical laughter?" Kori supplied, still mad and trying to prove that what Betty had done was foolish.

Betty scratched her head while she tried to think up a good answer to this one, and it came to her fairly quickly. "He'll think we're drunk!"

Kori gave her a dead look, one that said, 'you have got to be kidding me.' She pointed out, blandly,

"But we were not drinking any intoxicating, alcoholic beverages at that time."

Shrugging, Betty began to walk in the direction of the school. She had solely decided that it was time to return to the high school campus.

"Don't look at me," she said, not turning back; expecting Kori to realize that it was time to go without her having to point it out, "He's the one coming to lame-ass conclusions, not me."

* * *

They snuck past the front gates as they had expected they'd have to – it was after curfew and detention would be a sure thing if they were caught. The security guards were lazy, though, and they had no problem getting past them. 

Giggles could be heard from them by the time they got to the dorm room; doing something sneaky is always (or at least in this case) fun. There was never anyone watching the rooms, and no hidden security cameras were around to make sure that the teenagers at the school were in their own rooms the whole time. So people are often in and out of each other's rooms all night long. Seeing Kori and Betty walking around did not make anybody turn heads – they weren't the only ones.

Except for the giggling part. That made people raise their eyebrows and wonder what they'd been doing in the city.

"Well I'm bummed out – I'm gonna go to bed right now," Betty said to Kori as she put the key into the whole of their dorm room door.

The door was open, and Kori looked quizzically at her friend. "You do not wish to spend long periods of time communicating with other friends on the net of inter tonight?" (for those who don't get it… internet. That was a really bad one.)

Betty rolled her eyes. "Nope. My bed is telling me that I must sleep on it. Now."

With a shrug, Kori agreed with her friend and they both went to bed. Drifting away into the land of dreams. It's funny how they can go, one moment, from being giddy and giggling out in the hall to an extent that people wonder about their state of drunkenness, to completely silent and asleep the next.

* * *

Kori was flying. The city below her looked like one in a dollhouse; small, insignificant, and fake. Something inside her, though, told her that it was her duty to save it. 

It all looked peaceful, though, and, as she hovered above it, she couldn't imagine what needed saving.

While she thought about this and stayed on the lookout, a beeping sound could be heard from her belt. It played some kind of theme song, and, when she looked down, she saw that it was her Titans communicator. The theme song she heard meant that someone was trying to call her.

Picking up the yellow circular phone, she flipped it open and said, "Yes?"

On the screen appeared another face, after a little bit of static, one that she knew very well.

"Dick!" she exclaimed happily, "What is going on?"

The face of her friend, which was already frowning, became even more serious. He wasn't wearing his tinted glasses like he normally did; instead a black and white mask covered his eyes. Kori did not pay attention to this, though.

"We need your help!" he explained. After that he said something else, but Kori was beyond listening. She saw what was going on and knew she could help.

Flying down to the center of the city – the area that she somehow knew Dick would be in – she began to see what was wrong.

There was a man, with ten arms, walking down the street on four very large legs, and any man, woman, or child with a purse or bag would not be spared. He stole each one of their carrying items and poured them down the mass abyss of his throat where he would probably regurgitate and retrieve them later to steal the valuables.

Down on the street, standing in battle stances by the monster were five other people – all of them were her friends and all of them were not wearing clothes that they would normally wear. Instead of Garfield's loose jeans and T-shirt, for example, he was wearing a spandex outfit that was black and pink. Also amoung her friends were Dick, Victor, Betty, and Raven, and, like Garfield, tight clothing (and capes) seemed to be a trend.

When Dick saw Kori descending upon them, he nodded and yelled, "Titans! Go!" And they all ran to attack the thieving beast.

Immediately Gar changed into a bird and flew up to Kori. She didn't think about it at the time, but afterward realized that it should have been weird, having him change his DNA around into something other than human. For the moment, though, the two of them flew around the head of the monster, which looked strangely like the man she had seen steal the woman's purse earlier, and, while she shot star-bolts at him, the green bird changed into an insect which went down the thing's throat with a purse it had been throwing in.

Dick began jump on black platforms created by Raven's brain energy, using them to get up to the face of the beast. He had seen Beast Boy get in, so he would do his best not to hurt it too badly, but until then he would keep it distracted with his various martial arts moves.

Betty and Victor were doing their best protecting the citizens from the passing arms which attempted to take away their possessions. They herded people who were too stupid or too frightened to run away from the danger themselves into small nooks and alleys where they could hide until the trouble was over.

"Come on," Victor said to a young couple as he attempted to move them along, "He won't hurt you if you get out'a here!"

The girl didn't want to go, though. "But he has my pock'a'book!" she whined.

"We'll get it back to you but we can't beat him with everybody running around!"

This was how a lot of the people responded to the two African Americans telling them to go hide. They wanted to play superhero too and didn't want to be the person who left their stuff behind to be saved by a bunch of teenagers – most of which who were younger than them.

While the two of them were pushing away a young girl and her mom, both of which who had bags and stuff all around them, an arm tried to attack the civilians.

"Oh no you don't," Betty warned, zapping the hairy limb with a B shaped buzzer. This only made the bad guy mad, and he, in turn, grabbed the black girl around her waist in his large hand, not letting go even when she attacked him.

"Betty!" Victor called to her, trying to still move the girl and her mother away safely. It was this call that caused Kori to turn her head, just in time to see the monster trying to stuff the girl into his mouth where he had put all the other purses.

Dick fought the arm, though, and Kori began to shoot star-bolts at it. The arm did not take much time to become tired. It soon had dropped Betty in annoyance to all of the attacks that had come on it and was now trying to dodge all of the black energy encased barrels, dumpsters, and other large heavy objects while Dick went to go see if Betty was going to be all right.

She had fallen quite a ways from the dude's hand.

Kori was helping Raven in the continuous assault against the monster, but when she glanced toward Dick to see if he needed any more help with Betty, she saw something.

A purse.

And apparently the monster had seen it as well because, well, at that moment, he thrust one of his arms at the boy wonder and had him in its grip before anyone could stop it. And it took a lot less time for his arm to reach his mouth than it had with Betty. Dick was down the horrible tunnel before Kori could even bring up a star-bolt.

Garfield had gone into the beast's throat first to save the day; probably to transform into a large animal and destroy it from the inside, but Dick was inside it now, and Kori was falling, falling, fall…

* * *

Sitting up on her bed, Kori had a confused look on her face. It took her a moment to adjust to where she was – in her dorm room with Betty, who was fast asleep, and not in a city in trouble. 

She was terrified.

Feeling that the dream had been too real was too much for the redhead, so she quietly got out from under her covers and, sneaking past Betty who she didn't want to wake up, and opened the door silently, wanting to go out into the hall.

There are always people out in the hall at night, the most social time, but it must have been later than Kori had guessed because it was desolate. No one wandered from room to room, no one was walking back to their dorm wrapped in a towel, coming back from a late shower.

Once again, that poor girl was freaked out.

Kori scurried down the hall, nervously trying to hurry to her destination. She would have to go outside to get there and the idea of that sent shivers crawling up her spine.

As she passed a bathroom, another girl poked her head out and, after seeing who it was, began to quietly follow her.

She snuck outside, warming her arms with her hands in the darkness. Behind her snuck the other girl, dramatically going on tiptoe. She held her fingers as if she were holding a gun like James Bond or a Charlie's Angel. She rolled on the ground a couple times, and hid behind trees, trying not to giggle at her own antics.

Yes, it was a tad nippy noodles outdoors, and, based on how dark it was, the sun would probably be rising in a few hours. Kori dashed, as soon as she could tell that there were no security guards, towards the other building as quickly as she had earlier that night, not noticing that she had anyone on her tail.

In the door, up the stairs, down the hall, all as quietly and as quickly as she could go, Kori reached her destination and stood in front of the door – the door which led to Victor's, and of course Rich Grayson's, dorm room.

The teen who was following her nodded in understanding.

Kori knocked feebly on the door, not making nearly enough noise to bring someone to a door even when they're awake, but when they are asleep and probably deep in their dreams it is pretty much impossible to know that someone wants you to come to the door with such a quiet rap.

When the boy she had been trying to find did not come to the door, she did not even try again. Instead she sat down next to the door, pulled her knees up to her chest, and fell asleep like that, a depressing image of sadness.

The girl who had been following her, even though she knew that Kori had not knocked on the door loud enough, felt that she should make that alternate universe boy wonder come and take care of his almost girlfriend. (They WILL go out, she added to herself in her head.)

She had stood up and was about to take a giant step towards the door and where Kori was sleeping – her plan was to pick the lock and wake Dick up; dragging him out of bed etcetera – when she heard a voice behind her.

It was a, well, male voice.

"Rayne, what are you doing here?"

The redhead, because it was she who was following Kori, turned around with a sweatdrop worthy, 'I'm really innocent, you know," kind of grin on her face to see, standing in a yellow bathrobe, fuzzy black slippers and a towel thrown over his shoulder, the very man of the day –

"Dick," she said, sounding as casual as she possibly could. Then she remembered why she was here and changed her tone to her best 'you're so in for it' voice.

"Kori came over here looking for you and you didn't come at the very sound of her voice. Okay, so she wasn't talking but you are supposed to psychically know when she comes to your door and taps on it. So instead of coming and making her feel better you were relaxing yourself in the shower! Come on! Get with the program!"

Rayne was on a roll now, and was beginning to simply rant to the boy, whose eyes behind his glasses were confused.

"And can't you just get subtle hints? Some people should be with other people and every time there's something little that's supposed to tell you what you're supposed to be doing you aren't supposed to ignore it but you do and you'd think with someone who's as smart as you are – by the way you're REALLY intelligent – should be able to figure out what Aphrodite is trying to tell you!"

"Um," Dick feebly protested, trying to intervene with his finger up in the air.

"And you aren't fighting! Speedy wants to be exactly like you, which should be self explanatory, and you just let him! I'd think that someone, being as trained as you are, would see how much he threatens what you almost have, well, even though she'd never EVER go for him…"

Rayne quieted off, "hmph"ing at the end in a closing way. Dick, on the other hand, besides his finger raising into the air, had not moved and still stood, a bit confused.

"My friend Rayne," a groggy sounding voice from behind the redhead said, growing more happy and light by the second, "What is it that brings you here?"

The shorter redhead, who was between Dick and Kori, looked from one to the other. When she looked at Dick, she realized, it was very tempting to laugh at his attire. On the other hand, Kori would probably want to understand what was so funny and then she'd have to explain. Which reminded her that she had just explained to Dick, well, kind of explained why she was there.

Exasperation came over her facial features, and, slumping her shoulders, Rayne walked over to Dick's room and tried the handle. It was unlocked, so she went inside and closed the door quite carelessly, creating a large booming sound in the hall.

"Why is Rayne, friend Dick, so, why is she so…" She couldn't think of a word to describe how her friend was acting.

The black haired boy, whose hair had managed to stay spiked even though he had just showered, shrugged to say that he did not know.

"Well Kori," he said, not quite getting anything that had happened so far to him and still confused himself,"There are some things that we just aren't meant to understand."

* * *

REVIEWS, REVIEWS. LOVERLY THINGS THAT DON'T WEAR ANY SHOES…. And I give kudos to those wonderful people who keep me happy with their reviews…

**Pickles12**: True, my questions do not have a point, nor do they have a relevance to the story. Or at least not usually. But then, when you think about it, my story doesn't have much relevance period. Wow. I feel really redundant and repetitive… Anyways, I don't always get a chance to write out questions but I'm glad that you like them etcetera. :gasp: You don't like bbrae? Just please don't say you're a bbterra fan… :looks at story by pickles12 she is reading: nooooo! Anything but that! Lol. Okay, so it doesn't bug me THAT much. I'm fine with other couplings… SO I am going to find something random to say like… Sharpie Markers. Or crochet hooks. Hm. Now that I have THAT out of my system… Thanks for reading the story and I hope that you liked the update! Oh yeah – I forgot about this part. The whole Roy Harper thing? Yeah, I know his name, I'm just stupid and when I wrote the first chapter with him in it I couldn't remember it. Lol. Then when I wrote the truth or dare chapters I wanted to keep up my precedent of not using his name so… Yeah I guess that's the story. :-d

**Golden-Sama**:crickets chirp: … Don't even say it. I know you're going to. :-p. In case you're confused, which I am terribly sure that you are, unfortunately, I shall explain. I HIT 100 REVIEWS! Hehehe. :does a happy dance: Okilydokies. I actually updated. It wasn't as early as I wanted it to be, (:coughcough: meaning not early at all) but I did it and I'm not too ashamed of this chapter. There are some chapters that I really just write that suck big time, no joke, but this one turned out okay. I've been in a ditch with this story recently so I was happy that I came out, even if only for a moment. :-d Kinky Kangaroos - I read your new chapter even though I haven't reviewed it yet and I lurved it. Lurv is a wicked cool word. I think I'm going to repeat that when I finally do review it, though. Sorry I didn't update when I was going to, but my mind is lazy and apathetic and I ended up just not finishing it early. But for once I didn't write it ALL the day it was due… heh, heh, heh. And I didn't update at seven or eight at night! That's always a plus. :-d

**TTHPfan**: Yep. My friends Hillary and Katie and I went to my other friend Caitlyn's confirmation at her Catholic church (she's the only one of us who's Catholic... wait. Hill might be. I dunno anymore. :-p) and, since there were these really weird kids at our school beforehand selling balloons (don't ask me why. They were just normal, colourful balloons. Weird, huh?) all of us bought one and we brought them with us to the ceremony. When Caitlyn went up we were giggling and holding the balloons up etcetera... Yep; friends in church are probably a not so good idea unless they're pretty serious. But then, of course, who of my friends are ever serious? Yep again. (Wow I said yep a lot...) BB did cry. Or at least that is what I hear. There weren't too many people bitching about it on the forum I go to though, so i don't thihk it was a big deal. Or at least I hope it wasn't... If you want more information about 'the end' go to the 'robinandstarfireshrine dot com' and go to the 'episode discussion' topic I think it is. It's a pretty good site (although they have some jerky mods... but so does titansgo dot net.) and I would tell you all about it but, you know, I've ranted about it to my friends for too long and don't have enough time or space.

**Tidus'luvr**: robby, robby, starry, starry…. Hehe. Sorry you didn't get to be in this chappy but, hey, I guess that's just how it worked out, you know? You'll be in the next one so it'll all be cool. I'm in a hurry so I'm not going to chat, but I'll talk to you later. Even though you weren't in it I hope you likedededed it!

**Rose**: I completely understand about that. Tests suck, end of story. I hope that you get good grades when you get those scores - I'm waiting for mine too (My report card hasn't come yet and the only score I got was the ELA one.) :-d How's your summer going? I've been really busy but I hope you've been having fun. Thanks for reviewing!

**scathac's warrior**: Heh. Yeah, they were at the church because Winter dragged them. Or at least most of them were. Oh it was something like that. Obviously I don't even know. It's just my story. It's not like I know anything about it… haha… I am kind of hyper so I'm really sorry if what I'm typing at the moment doesn't make much sense… Anyways. I'm not sure if I spelled your ffn identity right – I'm doing all these from memory because I want to have them done when I'm ready to update. I don't even know if THAT makes sense. Wow. I'm just going to stop talking. :-p Thanks for reviewing!

**Whispers** **of** **a** **Fallen** **Angel**: Hi! Thanks for reviewing my story and I hope that you weren't too disappointed! I really, really like your FFN identity, it's really pretty. :-d

**xBxMYxJAMESxDEANxcandyclouds**: There. A good chappy with the only extra person being, dun dun dun DUN, you. Does that make you feel special and happy and make your cheeks go :GRIN? I hope so. I SLAVED over this one. :-p Just teasing you... So I read certain people's updates... heh heh...I didn't get a review reply but I don't mind. It was cute. Now I have to... I don't know what I have to do. lol. talk toyou later, love:-d

* * *

**QUESTIONS!** (answer them in your LOVELY reviews. Hint, hint – review! Hehe)

1. Truth or Dare?  
2. There was a man. He got drunk so the bartender wouldn't let him drive home. They called him a cab but before it got there he left. Being as intoxicated as he was, he walked in the middle of the road. He was wearing all black clothes and none of the streetlamps were lit. A car without its headlights on was driving down the road at a fairly alarming speed, but it still slowed down and went around the man. How did the driver see him?  
3. What is your favourite episode?  
4. Um… Do you like show tunes? (I couldn't think of another question… I wanted 5 though. Lol)  
5. I heard somewhere (obviously it isn't PROVEN yet. I'm just using it for the sake of this question!) that there will be a kiss in the Teen Titans movie when it comes out. What would you do if you went to see it at the movie theatre and it turned out that the kiss was between Beast Boy and Terra… what would you do?

-**note**- okay. So here's the plan for the summer for me:

11+ practices for the music man  
N (unknown number) dress rehearsals for the music man  
13 performances of the music man (bloody thirteen! Teehee. Can't wait)  
8 chapters of IASWTP (every Thursday!... Hehehe)  
18 books to read (so far… but that isn't too much)  
¼+ of the first part in the 'nunia' series must be written  
60+ times to swim in my pool (yay! I'm finally getting one!)

Sneaky Peaky: "Intermission"  
I have pretty much no clue what is happening in the next installment of this story – I'm not writing it. I have asked my two good friends (known very well as Vesta and Rayne) to write one up for me so that they have a little fun as well, and I hope that it turns out to be enjoyable. So. You guys, here, next Thursday, and we'll find out all about it.


	18. Fifteen Intermission

-**note**- **READ** **THIS** READ THIS **R**E**A**D **T**H**I**S R**E**A**D** T**H**I**S** **READ THIS**! This is me, the REAL authoress. This chapter was not written by me though. Well, I did help out a bit, but almost the entire chappy was written by our beloved Vesta. Rayne was supposed to help out, but, as it says in the beginning of the chapter, she's kind of far away and unavailable to help out. So don't leave me, I'm not leaving the story. ;) It's just this one chapter for fun. So here it is, the fun filled intermission!

* * *

**  
Chapter Fifteen – "Intermission"**

* * *

Vesta: Okays, uhm, Rayne isn't here; she had to visit her Aunt in Seattle so I'm stuck doing this thingy by myself. It is going to be in script form so if you have a problem with that I shall eat thy! Okay, now before you hang up on me I wanna tell ya's 'vat I'm doing. I am going to be interviewing the characters in Winter's story about the progressivenessfullnessnessfull! 

Vesta: -in a game show announcer's voice- Okay! Now our first guest is one of my favourites… the authoress herself… WINTER!

-Winter walks in, approaching a fluffy armchair as if she were on Dr. Phil.-

Winter: Hello you all, you look gorgeous, really. Did you dye your hair? It looks _fantastic._

Vesta: -coughs-

-Winter snaps back to reality and sits on the chair.-

Winter: Hey!

Vesta: So, Winter, how is the story going… Am I doing a good job?

Winter: -looking at random person in audience- Huh? Oh yeah, fine for both. What time is it Vee, 'cause I have to go!

Vesta: -looks sad that her friend doesn't wish to stay- Oh, okay, well I have other people who I have to interview so yeah. Wells… Bye Winter!

-Winter leaves-

Vesta: Well, ahem, now for our next guests! RAVEEEENN and GAAARRRRFFFIIIEEELLLDDD!

-Gar appears, dragging Raven behind him-

Vesta: HEYY!

-Garfield and Raven sit down in chairs similar to the one Winter was sitting on-

Raven: Why, exactly, are we here?

Vesta: -evil grin- 'Cause I blackmailed both of you with these.

-Vesta holds out pictures. One is of Garfield clipping his toenails and the other is of Raven in a dress-

Raven: Oh. Right.

-Raven snatches the pictures-

Vesta: That's okay; I made copies. So anyway. How do you like being in a fanfiction?

Garfield: -is a little uncomfortable- Uh, it's cool I guess. I mean, all you dudes are pretty cool.

Vesta: First of all, we're not dudes; we're dudettes, but second, thanks! –grins and turns to Raven- How about you, Ravie?

Raven: Never call me that again.

Vesta and Gar: RAVIE!

-Raven becomes majorly angry. She snarls and accumulates angry marks on her head-

-Vesta and Gar, in fear, inch away-

Vesta: Okay you all at home, stay where you are for our next guest… SPEEDY!

-Speedy walks onto the stage confidently and waves randomly at chicks in the audience – he then blows kisses and yells out his phone number, hoping that someone will call it or something-

Vesta: Ew. Gross. Uh, you can sit there.

-Vesta points to a chair which is guarded by Overload, Cinderblock and Plasmus. The chair is not plushy like the other ones; no, it is made of hard steel and covered in automatic chains and shackles.-

-Speedy's eyes grow wide and he screams like a little girl, but, to keep his image up by not running away, he goes and gingerly sits on the chair-

Vesta: Okay, yeah, since Speedy's icky we're not gonna bother with him. So it's time for our next guests. VIIIIICCCCCCCCC AND BEEEEEETTTTTTTTYYYYY!

-Bee and Victor walk out, quarrelling over random things.-

Vic: Yeah? Well it's your fault!

Betty: Me? How is it my fault when you were the one drivin'?

Vic: -looks stumped- Uhm…

-Camera moves to speedy who is being force fed pickles from a ginormous jar-

Vesta: -in a "Monk" tone of voice- Vic. Betty. Let us enjoy each other's company. Nothing will be solved by harsh words, but good, nice ones.

-Everyone else on stage, with the exception of Speedy who is preoccupied by the pickles, stares at Vesta-

Vesta: -in her normal, hyper tone- What? Can't I be Monk? Is it because I'm a girl?

Betty: Yeah, girl, whatevuh.

Vesta: Okay, now for the one person we've all been waiting for!

Random Girl in Audience: DICK!

Vesta: Uh, sorry sweetheart, but no. ACHILLESSS!

-Achilles walks out, back slouched and hands jammed so casually in his pockets that it must have been practiced-

Vesta: -runs to meet Achilles and starts to hang on his arm- Hi Bishi Achilles!

-Achilles moves to where Vesta was seated before on the 'lurv'seat couch-

Achilles: Hey… Vesta.

Vesta: -still hanging on Achilles- Did I ever say sorry for calling you an un-bishi?

Achilles: No.

-Vesta's eyes grow big and tears begin to well up drastically-

Vesta: I-I didn't? OMIGOD! I am so sorry! –goes back to normality- Okay, I did it. Now, Achilles, how does it feel to be my –giggles- Bishi?

Achilles: -looks for the right word- -finds it- Pointless.

-Vesta's eyes get all big and teary again and her lip begins to quiver-

Achilles: -sighs annoyedly-

Vesta: -begins to cry- But I thought you… but you gave me a birdhouse!

Betty: -pats Vesta on the back- Come on, girl, you're doing a great intermission.

-Vesta continues to cry-

Betty: Uh, Quick! Call out Kori and Dick!

Vesta: -sniffles- Okay. K-Kori and D-Dick!

-Out walk Kori and Dick. They sit on chairs like everyone else-

Vesta: -slightly more perky but still shooting Achilles a death glare ever now and then- So, how are you lurv – I mean guys? Hee, hee, hee, hee.

Dick: Um, fine?

-Kori is a bit more enthusiastic than her special some- I mean, Dick-

Kori: I am most excellent! Please tell me, friend Vesta, why are you allowing notorious villains to force feed friend Speedy cucumbers that have been preserved in vinegar and other spices?

Vesta: -shrugs and sweat drops- 'Cause he… uhm… asked me to. Yeah! That's it!

-Gar seems to have something in his throat, because he is coughing vigourously-

-Vesta stepps on the green boy's foot-

Vesta: Okay, now for a commercial break to give me time to eat these idiots. Okay, Gar, you get a six (Winter: -from some random place- NOT SIX!) second head start. One… two…

* * *

Announcer Dude: CAN THE TEEN TITANS SAVE RAVEN FROM HER DARK FATE?  
WAS TITANSGO DOT NET LYING WHEN THEY SHOWED BB CRYING OVER TERRA? (grrrr. Bitchstick.)  
IS TRIGON PICKING HIS WEDGIE IN THAT SEQUENCE? OR DOES IT REMAIN?  
IS THERE ANY MILK LEFT IN THE FRIDGE?  
Find out the answers to these questions and more in – THE END! PART TWO! 

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Announcer who sounds a lot like Gar/BB for some reason: Are you TIRED of eating the SAME THING every night?  
Aren't you even a LITTLE UPSET that you're killing A GAZILLION ANIMALS!  
Well I have the answer for you.  
TOFU! TOFU! TOFU! TOFU! TOFU! TOFU!  
Find it, become a vegetarian, and eat tofu!

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Announcer with Italian Accent: Fighting bad guy butt can make you tired and hungry.  
But there's always a place where you can go and get a warm slice of pizza.  
Or hot, or cold, or with mustard if you like.  
COME ON DOWN AND FIND THE SUPERHEROES IN THEIR MOJO!  
FREE AUTOGR- I MEAN PIZZA! ALL AROUND!  
Except the pizza isn't really free. Just sometimes.  
-nervous giggles and sweat drops-

* * *

Vesta: Okay everybody! We're back and our time here is almost over. And this is harder than it looks. Boy, I wonder how Winter does this every Thursday! 

-Winter pokes her head out from backstage with a big grin on her face-

Winter: I don't! I convince my friends to write them for me! –runs away, still smiling-

-Vesta sweat drops-

Vesta: Erm, okay! Well now we have to take calls from people watching at home! Okay, line one, you're on!

Line One: …

Vesta: Is there anyone there? HELLO!

Line One: … Hi.

Vesta: -rolls her eyes- Hello. So, who are you, whaddya got to say, and how long will you take?

Line One: My name? It's… Jim… And, uhm… Why is Gar restraining Raven? And why does she look so… miffed?

-Camera moves to show, as Jim said, Gar restraining Rae, who is trying to lunge at Vesta-

Vesta: -giggles- Well there was a little bit of a problem during the commercial break and I blackmailed her with a picture of her wearing all pink and laughing.

Line One "Jim": Um… Okay… That's all I guess.

Vesta: So I guess that thy is finished. LINE TWO! YOU'RE –

Line Two: Hiya Dickie Poo!

-Dick hides behind Kori-

Everyone else: …

Line Two: So you beach haired jerk, why didn't I get called on the show? I am SO the lead role in this fanfic! Rich and I are going steady; I'm like, up there!

Everyone else: -is frightened- …

Vesta: -in a whisper to one of the camera men- Cut her, please.

Line Two: Me and Dickie went on a date and –is cut off-

Vesta: -sighs in relief- Well now that we're done with THAT…

Betty: Yeah, uh, Can I go? I have to, uh, do something.

Victor: And I have to help her.

Vesta: -stiffles a giggle- Yeah, sure have…ahem…fun.

Achilles: Yeah, uh, I have to go too. I have to go do something pointless.

Vesta: But you are NOT allowed to go. We have to listen to show tunes and eat… Bagels.

Raven: -who stopped struggling a little while ago- Bagels?

Vesta: Yesh.

Kori: Can Dick and I accompany you in the listening of the tunes of show and eating of Bagels?

-Dick tries to mouth and gesture "NO!" to the redhead but only Vesta sees him-

Vesta: -looking to Dick, then to Kori and smiling evilly- But of COURSE. And Raven and Garfield shall joinith us too.

Raven, Gar, and Dick: What!

Vesta: Yes, you all must comith. Or I shall blackmail all of thee.

All of them: You have nothing!

Vesta: Oh really?

-Vesta pulls out pictures of Dick with ucky hair, Raven wearing orange and burping, and Gar wearing a 'bunneh' suit-

-Raven, Gar, and Dick sweat drop-

Vesta: And you, Bishi Achilles, I have blackmail for you, too.

Achilles: Why do you need to blackmail me?

Vesta: Uhh… Good question. I just do. –pulls out picture of Achilles eating and ice cream cone-

Everyone: Oooh.

Vesta: Woops, wrong picture. Well anyway I have to be done. It's the fourth-oh-July and it would have been smart for Cartoon Network to show Revolution today because it's all patriotic and has ACHILLES in it but noo…

-annoyed and suspecting looks all around-

Vesta: Well you guys have been a great audience! Hope to see you soon! And yeah! Bye!

Kori: Yes, it was a most pleasurable experience!

Achilles: It was pointless.

Vesta: Achilles…

Achilles: Yeah?

Vesta: Shut the hell up, please…

* * *

My answers to questions in last chapter: 

1. Truth or Dare?  
--Go to your review replies and you'll see.

2. There was a man. He got drunk so the bartender wouldn't let him drive home. They called him a cab but before it got there he left. Being as intoxicated as he was, he walked in the middle of the road. He was wearing all black clothes and none of the streetlamps were lit. A car without its headlights on was driving down the road at a fairly alarming speed, but it still slowed down and went around the man. How did the driver see him?  
--It was daytime

3. What is your favourite episode?  
--How long is forever? or The Beast Within. I've liked a bunch of the Season 4 ones so far but I'm an oldies fan. :-p

4. Um… Do you like show tunes?  
--I love 'em. For the most part. They're like all music; some are awesome but some stink.

5. . I heard somewhere (obviously it isn't PROVEN yet. I'm just using it for the sake of this question!) that there will be a kiss in the Teen Titans movie when it comes out. What would you do if you went to see it at the movie theatre and it turned out that the kiss was between Beast Boy and Terra… what would you do?  
--Yeps, we all know that it'll be Rob and Star, but according to THIS question my response would be… Nothing drastic, but I would walk out of that theatre, never (okay, maybe not NEVER) watch Teen Titans again, and write DC Comics (or whoever's in charge) a lovely little letter detailing their failure.  
Kudos to**Rose **for such a great answer. Lol.

* * *

-**note**- Wells hows all you? Nothing to say…Update next thursday...Here's the review replies! 

**scathac's warrior**: So I dare you to jump up and down and sing a little kids song (from any little kids show, movie, tape/cd etcetera) for a full 30 seconds. muhahaha. :-p Yes, about the kiss, it had better be between Kori and Dickie poo because if it is not then, well, what's the point? (unless it's between bb and rae... hmmm :strokes her lack of beard thoughtfully:) anyways, thanks for reviewing. I know THIS chapter was even more random than the last one buti'll get back to writing next thursday. :-d

**Golden-Sama**: You get hyper and weird, Mo m'darlin'? Ha. You should see me and Caitlyn when we get our AAA4U and TYL fixes. Haha... but you already know about that so I won't bother you with the details. Actually, Kori's dream was the last thing I wrote. I wrote the rest of the fic really early but Kori's dream I had no idea what to do with until AFTER I wrote the end. Because she went to Dick's room and the evil dude was stealing purses and... umm... yeah... lol. Yes, kinky kangaroos. I was reading this really badly written book (that looked like it would have been interesting but wasnt) and the main character said 'lanky lizards' a lot. So, since I am one of those people who doesn't like to copy what other people say (for the most part, that is) Icame up with a new winter-ism! Kinky kangaroos! Except kinky is my friend richard's word... hmm... I don't know anymore! Well about tracking down David Slack with a spork? I'll come with you and i shall maim him with my foon. (notice: foon. not spork. foon.) Pleeeeeeeeease update? You know you want to. lol. :-d Oh yes. And because you picked dare, I dare you to... unscrew the lightbulb in the nearest lamp and send and email to at least one person with only the phrase "I love lamp" in it. When they ask about it, tell them you haven't the slightest clue what they are talking about.

**tidus'luvr**: Hehee. I dare you to find out who plays the voice of Achilles in Sisters and find a way to email him. Email him somethingreally intelligent with long words about like... fish or something(no, you cannot say bishi, not until he emails you back then you reply to that)and tell me what he says (if he replies). So I don't really know what to say right now. I'm in a fricken hurry... bloody computer time... mumsy and mike think that i only need an hour. What they don't understand is that a growing teenaged girl needs at least two or three to get her brain into the yummy mushed up state that is normal... or something like that :-p

**Pickles12**: You've never ever never had a chapter dedicated to youbefore then? Well I'm glad that I got to be the first. :-d Yeps, I read your story, or at least started to (like the first two chapters). I have so little internet time that it isn't even funny. Argh. Okay, so some people think that an hour is quite adequite (i.e. my parents) but I completely disagree with them. So if I'm really slow at finishing your story I'm sorry. :-( Anyways, since you picked truth, here's your question...do you believe in aliens?

**xBxMYxJAMESxDEANxcandyclouds**: I dare you to email him. You know EXACTLY what I mean so I won't say it. Well I was looking through forums and I found this really great way to explain terra. I'd give you the link but links don't worry on FFN so I'll just give you what the person said: (heehee, I lurv it)  
I don't care if she sacrificed herself to save the city, she deserved to be stoned after what she did. First, she comes to the titans and feels she has a new home and she runs away just because she thought BB told Robin her "secret". Her problem with her powers wasn't much of a secret I mean any idiot could see that. Then she comes back to the tower to ask if the spot on the team was still available. Talk about rude, after she ran away like that and hurt our poor BB, I'd tell her to take a hike. Even when she felt confort in her new home, she still had the guts to betray the titans and SHE was mad that BB turned his back on her. Later on, she comes back to destroy the titans one by one in return for the friendship and kindness the titans gave to her. She even made Ra do the most dangerous thing she tries to prevent, her rage to take over. After, she feels so lost and confused all over again and wants the titans to save her and Terra fans think Terra's suddenly a friend again when she sacrifices herself to stop the volcano she acted up. You would've thought after Aftershock, ppl would've developed common sense to know T/BB would never happen. Terra may have learned to control her powers but she never learned to control herself.  
**  
Monkey**-**Fish** **The** **Great**: Hiya! you're one of the v. few people who got the riddle. Twas daylight out, m'dear. Thanks for the review - I'm glad that there's at least one more bbrae fan out there who despises bbt :-d I hope you keep reading!

**Rose**: Truth, truth, truth. Oh, I got one! Erm, why aren't the letters on computerkeyboards in alphebetical order? And why don't the notes on a piano go past G in the alphabet? lol. So yeah. I hope you liked the chapter, even though I didn't write it (Kudos to Vesta for her hard :coughcough: (lol) work) and see ya next thursday!


	19. Sixteen

-**note**- Sorry I'm late… I played with this chapter a LOT. There were about three different ways I imagined it could work so I didn't actually get around to writing it until last night and this morning (yep. Two weeks and I didn't even really start it). And this was my second idea. I knew the basis of what I wanted to happen in this chapter since like… April, but I didn't know how it would work. I guess this worked out the way it did for good.

-**dedication**- Woohoo! I dedicate this to xBxMYxJAMESxDeaNxcandyclouds. Okay, so I didn't get all of the right letters capitalized and un-capitalized but that doesn't really matter. And, girl, I hope that your cousins didn't kill you TOO much when you watched 'the end' with them. Please tell me that you did not dismantle their television set… lol. Hope you like it! And yeah. I was going to dedicate the LAST chapter to you, the dedication, because you weren't around, but then I remembered that I was dedicating this to you and I was like… duh! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Oh yes. And I have bad news for you. I don't think I'm making a sequel. :grins and skidattles:

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

_The wireless café was quiet. And, as touched on by previous chapters, it is never quiet on Wednesday nights. Something was amiss – the red and blonde haired water bottle guzzling authoress was no where in sight.  
__During the first few hours of the Wednesday night open mic ceremony John the waiter looked around the café with suspicious eyes. Winter was a strange character, and he didn't want her jumping out at a random time and surprising him.  
__Actually, she did not come in till nearly eleven at night; carrying her laptop in its normal carrying case and bearing a large smile on her face.  
_"_Hiya!" she exclaimed to John, standing by the counter, filling someone's order, "Can ya get me a water? Thanks, you're a doll."  
__When she had set herself up the confused waiter appeared at her table with her water bottle in his hand.  
__Winter took it and guzzled it immediately.  
_"_So…?" he half asked, half stated tentatively.  
__The teenaged girl was not wasting any time – she was already typing away at the jelly keys on her laptop. However, she did answer him with excitement.  
_"_I just got back from play practice and it was like… AWESOME! We were doing Marian the Librarian and I bruised my knees when I screwed up my walkover! Then I fell on my head laughing when I was doing an elbow stand!"  
__John sighed exasperatedly, as always not having much of a clue what the hyper girl was saying, and walked away, going to get her another bottle of water without her even asking. You just get the hang of those kinds of things when you have a sainless authoress to wait on every Wednesday night._

Monday. Probably the most painful, stressful, and most of all tiring days of any teenager, especially one who attends a school at which the teachers pride in their spending whole weekends scheming ways to torment their students. For nearly all of those teachers, Friday evening after classes is spent grading papers, finding loopholes in the students' answers and exploiting those miniscule problems, Saturday is spent researching each disliked student for possible blackmail to be slyly used against them (and for the pets of the teachers is found good things that they can praise the student for).

Sundays are spent with a little less hard work and effort. They watch football or sleep in before they begin their work, and on that day they look over their lesson plans and make sure they have planned enough impossible (or at least painfully annoying) homework to last all of their students the remainder of the week.

Though not always in that order.

This was Winter's philosophy, or at least one of them, and she explained this firm belief to Rayne and Kori during their break between third and forth period. During this time the school had decided that there would be a twenty minute break for the students every day, and the three girls were taking advantage of every second of that free time.

"Please tell me," Kori said, honestly full of curiosity, "Why must they sleep in or watch a game of pounding others, on Sunday mornings?"

Rayne was reading a book, her green eyes scanning the pages quickly before turning them. She did not even look up from the pages as she said, "Because she wanted the theory to at least sound valid. And in that case she was forced to attribute certain human qualities to them, however dumb, and the football being a stereotypical Sunday morning routine, it was easy for her to use that as her human-esque quality."

Winter pouted at this remark. "No, I just had to give them a break somewhere in there. I don't hate all teachers."

Looking up from her book this time, Rayne asked, "Isn't that the bottom line of what I just said?"

Kori interrupted Rayne's pending response with another question. The redhead returned to her book. "So why do the teachers only find good things for their animals?"

Instead of truly answering, Winter let out an exasperated sigh. She was not in the mood to explain to her slightly confused friend the difference between a teacher's pet and an animal. She was feeling a bit mellow today; not exactly loving the marching from class to class. Her shirt, which normally displayed one of her favourite anime couplings, had taped to it a ripped out piece of notebook paper which had written, in brightly coloured markers, the words "Mondays Suck." Back when she was a young warthog in military school – er – I mean – a wee lass in the halls of a Great Britain school where she wore her hair up and her uniform tidy, she would have never executed such a feat and gotten away with it.

However this was an American school and the teachers were a tad bit more apathetic to what the students wore. Actually a few of them had commented on it too and their words had not been in disapproval but agreement.

The teen pushed her short red and blonde hair behind her ears and pointed to Rayne. "Your turn."

"I already had my turn."

"So?" Winter countered in a choosingly lame voice.

Rayne shrugged. "Where's Raven when you need her?"

This volley was certainly not an abnormal one, but Kori's eyes followed the two girls back and forth in a tad bit of puzzlement as she tried to find an answer under their pointless words. Her eyes were large and she stood between them, taking in every comment they exchanged.

Looking back at her red haired friend, who still was not looking up from her book where she sat, she raised an eyebrow jokingly and threw a slightly sly comment at her. "Or, better yet, where's darling old _Richard_ when you need him?"

Though Winter had only said that for a slight chuckle, her noting such a thing had brought a bright red hue to Kori's complexion. Neither girl noticed at first, but when Rayne and Winter simultaneously, for some strange reason unknown to man (or Tamaranian, for that matter), looked up at the girl she was blushing ferociously and looking around as if pretending to be casual.

"Er…" Winter tried to think of a witty way to cover her tracks, "I meant Raven. We should be looking for Raven. How silly of us to mention Dick when who we really need is that purple haired person…"

This made Kori's face light up even more.

"Nope. Not helping," Rayne commented.

The three of them were in an awkward little spot right there, and, lucky for poor Kori, the warning bell rang then, signaling that they had three minutes to get to class.

"I have to go!" Kori squeaked, and, after picking up her books, ran away.

The two remaining girls just stayed where they were standing (or sitting, in Rayne's case) and watched her scurry away with upraised eyebrows. They both agreed.

"That was… weird," Winter offered.

"Yep."

"You gonna get it?"

"As always. You find it out from Dick."

"Lucky me."

Rayne stood up, and the two of them departed from each other without another word.

* * *

The main question on everyone's mind, at the moment, is likely one that has to do with the relational issues touched at in the previous paragraphs of this story. But that cannot be simply explained. Since it is a part of the story I, as your loyal authoress, will have to tell you, but I must show you, for my storytelling skills basically suck.

It all began just where chapter fourteen left off, with Dick and Kori talking in the hallway. Rayne had left the two of them; later to be found asleep on Victor and Dick's common room U-shaped couch, and they were standing in the middle of a boys' dorm house and it pretty soon got, well, awkward.

"Well Kori," he said, "There are some things that we just aren't meant to understand."

The young teenaged girl just nodded and crossed her arms under her chest, looking around the hall. The two of them stood there for a few moments; about three feet apart from each other and, while one of them was uncomfortable, the other was completely and utterly confused.

"Kori, are you – all right?" the spiky haired boy asked, his entire figure softening. Even though it was nighttime his eyes were still covered by his tinted glasses. He stepped forward and put a hand on the redhead's shoulder, looking at her face which was now hung over a little bit.

Her only response was a little bit of a shrug and silence.

"You know you can tell me anything," he continued, "Remember I told you that – if there's something going on then I'll listen."

Kori remembered. It had been last year, actually, that she had cried on his shoulder and he had told her that anytime she needed to talk to someone he would be there and he would listen. He hadn't even seemed distressed at the half soaking shoulder of his hoodie. He'd given her a warm smile and sat with her until she was ready to go back to her friends. This thought made her lift her head and look into his eyes with a little bit more hope, but still didn't want to talk.

"It was just… a very bad dream," she said softly, moving her shoulder again – the one that his hand rested on.

He nodded, seeming to understand that she did not want to tell him about it. They stood together like that for a few moments, actually comfortable in the silence that surrounded them.

"Just a second and I'll walk you back," Dick offered quietly, "Just wait right here."

He disappeared into his room, leaving her alone for less than a minute before he came back out fully dressed. True, he was without shoes and his toes were naked against the floor, but that didn't seem to matter to much as they walked off.

He reached out his hand and wrapped it around Kori's fingers. Once again there was silence as they went back to the other dorm house by the same route the taller girl had taken probably only a few minutes before (although it seemed much longer), and the darkness seemed to be breaking into what would soon be a sunrise.

Outside the door to the room which Kori shared with Betty – the African American girl who was probably still lost inside her world of dreams and completely oblivious to Kori's disappearance – the two stood for a moment together, both lost in their thoughts – or possibly their lack of sleep.

Kori was the first to snap out of it. "Well then – good night, Richard. Or… good morning?"

Dick chuckled. "'Night."

Kori's hand was on the door handle; about to twist it and allow herself to enter, when she did something that surprised both of them (though of course neither the authoress nor the readers). She released the metal knob and closed in through the space between the two of them, kissing him so immediately that neither knew what was going on.

During something like this happening, one would expect memories and happiness to be flooding through both of them, but, truthfully, both were filled with no emotion at all; simply being.

After a moment, Kori pulled away – her eyes wide with an almost terror and she returned her hand to the doorknob; this time turning it and running into the room. The door was shut on the poor boy outside it before he even realized what had quite happened.

* * *

Winter picked up her pencil and thought about a response to the note she was holding on her desk. In it, thought much more concentrated with fewer words, was the account of the night before as she had asked for it, and she just didn't know how to respond.

She began to chew on the eraser side. In the front of the class the teacher was droning on about physics – this wasn't even her class.

Deciding that her best approach was one of sly psychology, Winter put her pencil on the paper and wrote a question back to her friend that any psychologist should never go without.

"And how does that make you feel?"

Winter was looking ahead at the teacher, pretending to be thoroughly engrossed in his speech, but really she was watching Dick out of the corner of her eye. He made a face at her of exasperation and of the rolling of the eyes (although since his eyes could not be seen she could not be sure if they really did get rolled) before writing a short response himself on the paper.

When the teacher was not looking he passed the note back. Throughout the whole class there where notes being kicked, thrown, stretched to, and passed so it wasn't as if they would be the first to be noticed but neither wanted to take many chances.

It read, "Fan-bloody-tastic."

"Wait a sec – that's about the kiss, right? Not the whole part where she ran away and whatnot."

"Yes, the kiss."

"Now you'd better go for her or Speedy will so totally dupe you."

After that last note had been passed and the teacher was once again facing the board, Winter stood up, slung her bag over her shoulder, and exited the room.

* * *

Somehow, by either miracle or intense concentration on their schoolwork, Kori and Dick made it through the day. By another strange coincidence, neither showed up for lunch. Winter, who had the period before lunch with Kori, said that the red headed girl had to go to the library to study for a test after lunch, but no one knew where the hell Dick was.

It was hot and muggy; a feeling that does not help you when you are trying to concentrate on your schoolwork. Mugginess has a horrible tendency to pull your thoughts exactly where you don't want them to, and I must say that Kori and Dick did not have a "fan-bloody-tastic" time for the remainder of the day.

And it was by some minor miracle as well that Dick found Kori at the end of the day. She had spoken to Rayne about the whole affair during the morning and was more prepared to realize that she wasn't a complete idiot for throwing herself on her best friend, but she still was not ready to come out and exactly talk to him yet. The second that the end of the school day bell had rung she went off and hid back in the library with a pile of history books so that she could validly say, when asked, that she was studying.

Dick was another story. He searched nearly the entire campus for her before he stopped and asked for directions (meaning: he found Betty and asked her where she was). Even when he got in the library, almost an hour after school had officially ended for the day, he had to search for her; she'd hidden herself well.

She was at a reference table; a cozy circular desk with fluffy chairs and in front of her was multiple books on the history of just about any place from America to Zimbabwe. On the bridge of her nose rested a pair of reading glasses.

Funny, Dick thought briefly when he saw her, Didn't realize she ever wore glasses. (-note- she doesn't, actually, but I just felt like having her wear them)

When Kori saw her best friend standing above her about three feet away, watching her read with a bemused yet nervous look, she sunk herself further into the chair.

"Hey Kori," he began, standing with his arms folded casually over his chest.

The spoken to sighed and threw her book back on the table. She removed the pair of glasses and wiped her big green eyes with the back of her hand while she stretched, and then she looked at Richard.

"Now is the 'time to talk,'" she instructed, pointing to the chair at the table to her right. Apparently she had spent enough time thinking about what she would do should Dick find her and realized that sometimes she just had to take charge, even if just a little bit.

Dick sighed and chuckled briefly, complying.

In silence the two sat, both looking at each other. Both knew that the raven haired one was the one who was supposed to begin the conversation, but he was looking a little bit lost so Kori did.

"I am sorry," she said simply, looking at him with wide green eyes; the kind that can be so happy at any time but can fill with tears in an instant.

Dick, for a moment, seemed taken aback.

"Hey, what?" he asked concernedly, "You don't think I'm mad at you, do you?"

Kori, if not anything else, is truthful in nearly everything she does. So when Dick made her statement seem void, her face filled with such relief that her eyes almost began to water in tears of joy.

"You're not?" her hopeful words were.

(-note- watch out… here comes the biggest corny line in the history of corny lines (or something like that). Dude this is so fun. I should become a corny romance novelist when I grow up. Lol. Sorry but I just had to use this line and it's just so… corny and funny that it fits.)

With a smile tugging up at the right corner of his mouth Dick said, "As long as you don't run away next time."

* * *

Though students were not technically allowed to, Raven sometimes would spend her time on the roof of her dorm at Harrisfield. After dinner she would sometimes grab a book and escape up the ladder which was accessible through the attic – another banned place – and watch the sunset.

This year that had started out quite as crazy as it had, Raven had not been able to go up to one of her favourite places yet and, with a quiet day such as a Monday, she had been able to escape from her friends and seat herself on the roof with a small, old feeling and smelling hardcover book of Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales."

The sky was just beginning to turn the telltale signs of nighttime – the sun was gaining speed, wanting to go down behind the mountains; the blue in the background turning into a golden orange, soon to multiply into many reds, pinks, and purples it would before the light diminished. The violet haired girl ran her hand through the said strands on her head and closed her book, the silencing light not allowing her to read anymore.

A thud was heard behind her; a sound of the trapdoor she had entered from closing. The sound made her jump and she turned her head quickly with a short spout of fear.

Fortunately the figure standing behind her was not one of authority but a friend – Dick was standing there, brushing himself off. She released a sigh of relief and turned back to the spectacle. He approached her and neither looked at each other while they spoke.

"What are you doing out here so late?" Raven began, followed by a yawn.

Dick grinned; though Raven couldn't see it she could hear it in his words. "I love the sunset. It reminds me that even when things are getting dark there's beauty."

"Are you always this cheery this late?"

"Nope." His voice was still laced with a grin.

"Oh," Raven said, "Then you finally got together with Kori?"

"Yep."

On the ground just outside the dorms, if you look up at the right point, you can see everything that's happening on the roof, including who is sitting near the edge, watching the sunset.

Unfortunately, Rayne looked up as habit and saw Dick and Raven sitting together, watching the sun fall away and her head, in theory, blew the roof.

They; Winter, herself, Vesta, and Emily, had been heading out to the front gates to separate – Vesta and Emily back to their own schools and Winter and Rayne to bed or somewhere like that – when this happened, and it was quite an interesting sight, I must say.

First the red haired teen stared. Then she began to hyperventilate. Then the speech began.

"O-o-o-oh, that better be an accident! When I get up there they're going to be crying for mercy! How dare they interrupt the proper couplings!"

Her ramblings continued on like this indignantly, and while she did this Winter, Vesta, and Emily held her back. Above her head the three had a conversation of their own.

"She's looney!" Winter giggled when she said this. For the strangest reasons today the oddest things were making her laugh.

"No," Emily intervened, "Just a crazed shipper. Admit it. If Terra were –"

Vesta released her grip on Rayne and slapped her hand across the short blonde girl's mouth. "Don't you EVER say that. I would rather watch Rob n' Rae get together than see THAT. Hell, I'd rather die."

Once again, after changing her grip on Rayne; still struggling and spitting out random choice words, Winter giggled. "Morbid today, aren't thee darling? Dark and deathly is thou."

"I'll tear their arms OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS and write twenty fanfictions in under two days against RobRae and…" Rayne, because that was who it was who was speaking, stopped all of a sudden. She straightened her back and shook her friends' arms away from her, making a point with her actions to say that she was finished ranting and raving. The other girls complied, and they began to walk again, without any more talking.

When they had made it probably about twenty feet; almost to the gate, they stopped. Before anyone could say anything, though, Rayne turned around and ran back towards the dorm, laughing manically.

"Catch me if you can," she yelled, running in a large circle away from her friends who were most certainly following her, "But justice must be served."

Her maniacal laughter echoed as the sky got dark. Yep. Mondays just get to some people.

* * *

**QUESTIONS!**

1. What is your favourite word? (the one you find to be most cool looking/interesting)  
2. Would you consider me immature?  
3. Why could Rayne not appear on the intermission (in the previous chapter)?

* * *

**Queen-of-Azarath**: Yes, I know what you are saying by that and completely understand. I just wanted to add something completely random into the story by Vesta and Rayne. If Rayne had been around when the chapter was written it would have probably turned out a lot better grammar-wise but :shrugs: yeah. So I hope you liked this chapter better – the yummy one a few people have been waiting for – and… okay. So here's your truth (I'm so bad at truths… dares I can do but these I'm usually really bad at. :-p)… Open the nearest book to page 44 and look at the second line. What does it say? If sharpie markers took over the world would they blot out that line?

**TTHPfan:** No worries about reviews. I don't mind at alls:-d So the half blood prince comes out TOMORROW! You'll have to tell me like... everything that happens with it like who harry winds up with and who the half blood prince is and whether or not Voldie shows up in that book. Yeps, I went and saw the Fantastic Four with a couple of my friends as well. Actually, I went with four other people and we all talked through like the whole thing. We assigned roles in the film to each other (for example; I was "the thing" and my friend Hillary, aka Vesta, was "the human torch.") Whenever the character we wereassigned to did something bad we scolded the person who had that role assigned to, etcetera etcetera. It was great. Did you like it?

**Monkey-Fish The Great:** Actually, I love your new screen name. I completely thought that you were somebody else at first, but then, as I went to check your profile (as I usually do when I get a reviewer... I like to read their stories and see what kinda people they are) it said "Devils Nightmere" and I was like "ooooohhhhhhhh!" :ducks head and grins: Yes ma'am. I shall update!

**Pickles12:** So far, from what i have read, I think that your story's pretty good. Sorry that it's been so long since I've actually looked at any other fanfictions besides my own and like two of my friends, but I promise that today I'll copy it onto my yummy yellow floppy disk and finish reading it. :-d So far, though, the only critisism I have is the formatting. The grammar is pretty good etcetera but it gets a little hard to follow when it's clumped together. More on that later, though, because I have a pool now (yay! ) and I am just itching to finish this computer junk so that I can go jump in... I am a strange child. :-p

**scathac's warrior:** Yes. I tend to be pure evil when i choose dares to give to people. Either that or pure randomosity. I once dared someone to sing to a seashell... Yes, I claim the title of best dare giver ever. Lol. And yes, it was a truly random chapter. It kind of fit right where it was. Sandwiched in between drama and more drama. Yes, this chapter was drama-ful, and I got a kick out of writing it. Oh boy oh boy I can't wait for the chapter when bb and rae get together :plans a plan involving... she doesn't know what it involves yet, but there will be a plan... of sorts...:

**Golden-Sama**: Hi! … Erm, I was prepared to say "I feel deprived of your good writing and I feel like.. Ahhh!" but then you updated and I had to change that. Lol. I stayed up till about four this morning, sitting at my kitchen table with a mug of peppermint tea and a notebook (I went out at like two). Then my stepdad came out at like four fifteen and was like, "Erm... what are you doing here?" Then we had a conversation about the water we had in the refrigerator. Then I went back to bed. Insomnia is a very strange thing indeed. And apparently it makes you write completely random things like this to your good old buddies. :-d

**Rose**: Yes! I'll drink to that one. Not going back to school is one of the best feelings... until you get to about midsummer and you're sick of being without friends and then I just yearn to go back to school. It's a cycle of love and hate... er... yeah. :-d As always, doll, thanks for reviewing my humble story!

**Tidus'Luvr**: Why would Caitlyn eat you? I feel so detatched from you guys. Like a bug in the middle of a wall of seashells... What is it with me and seashells today? Anyways. I want to go swim in my swimming pool so i will talks to you later. Please enjoy yourself and meet mucho geeky hott guys at the HP party. hehehee

* * *

-**note**- okay, so I'm back! It's weird… It feels like it's been a really long time since I've updated this story and, well, it has. Maybe it's just the summertime, but during the school year it always felt like I didn't have nearly enough time to finish any of the chapters but now it all seems like forever…. So anyway, the next update will be on **July 21**. See y'all then:authoress giggles: By the way… Don't you just love how I made Kori and Dick's relationship into a teenage drama! It's… erm… fun!

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Seventeen"  
You can't have sunny weather for the WHOLE fanfiction. I'm a freak about weather. So sue me. Or rather don't. It's going to begin to rain next chapter, and we're going to go back to class for a little while…


	20. Seventeen

-**note**- Erm… Once again I am late. This time I am much later, but life is a pain that way I guess. You'd think that in the summer I would find myself with much more time etcetera but things just don't work out like that….

-**note**- I'm lost. I've gone to find myself. If I should return before I get back, tell me to wait.

-**dedication**- Woo! TTHPfan this chapter is dedicated to. An awesome reader/reviewer she is. And, er, I'm going to stop talking like Yoda now. :-d

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

_Winter yawned, typing slowly at the keys on her laptop. Slowly the pitter patter turned into a pattern, sounding almost like a quiet stream of steady raindrops. There was a different kind of crowd, she realized, when it wasn't a Wednesday night, and she almost enjoyed the difference. Variance is good.  
_"_What are you doing here?"  
__The voice was male, and the red and blonde haired girl recognized it before she even turned around, which, by the way, was an action she didn't take. She continued to type while she said to the voice, "John. I didn't know you worked weekends."  
_"_I could say the same thing," John replied, moving into Winter's line of vision, "So what are you doing here on a Saturday? You came Wednesday. Don't tell me you're going to start showing up more."  
_"_So what if I do?"  
__John's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"  
_"_So what if it is?"  
__The door of the café opened slowly, and a lone figure wandered in. She looked a bit like Winter, though her hair was dark brown, almost black, and the younger teen recognized her immediately.  
__However, she ignored this recognition.  
_"_Heh, heh! You can't think of a come back to THAT one, can you!" Winter pulled her right hand off the keyboard to waggle her pointer finger at the waiter.  
__Steena, Winter's older sister who had just entered the scene, stepped between the two fighting teens and held them apart, making sure that they were in a non-fighting distance from each other.  
_"_Let it be."  
__The older girl left Winter and John watching her in silence, and she left as quickly and quietly as she had entered. They were so entranced that they forgot their immediate bickering.  
_"_John –" Winter said expectantly.  
_"_One water, coming right up."_

Nursery rhymes are usually learned when children are young – linking their arms together with other preschoolers and dancing around in circles or jumping over multicoloured ropes to a beat and chanting them at the top of their lungs. There are so many of them that sometimes one cannot tell whether they are a nursery rhyme or not, though there are a few who know the difference.

There are especially a few when it comes to the weather; more specifically the rain. The young ones spend so much time trying to chase it away that it surprises one occasionally that the condensed droplets continue to fall evermore, especially during the damper seasons of the year.

The most amusing thing about nursery rhymes, though, is that they all have at least one hidden meaning that nearly no children, and most adults, do not understand. For example, almost all children grow up singing "Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies…" not understanding at all that the song is speaking of a plague and of dying.

So of course there must be multiple hidden meanings for all the others, including the ones of rain, right?

Well tell me I'm still a child and ignorant, but there are none that immediately come to mind in this case. Of course, though, what I think is not always the same as what my friends think. And, seeing as it was raining even as the sun came up the Tuesday morning of September Seventh, they thought about it a lot.

It all began about third period.

"It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring," Vesta chanted to Achilles as they both sat down in the still nearly vacant classroom. Outside the rain was slanted directly at the glass and making a soothingly loud pounding noise which was enjoyed by the wavy dirty blonde haired teen. "He went to bed and wet his bed and died in the morning!"

Achilles released a little bit of a yawn. "That's not how it goes."

Vesta grinned back at him while saying, "Yeah, but my way is better, right?"

"Stuff like that's pointless," was everything that the black haired guy could think to say. His eyes rolled and he pulled out a book. It was an old edition of a collection of Shakespeare's plays; focusing on the tragedies. He had begun his journey of making his way through the series of those plays yesterday, beginning with that very same book, and was making a very good effort. He must have been at least halfway though Romeo and Juliet.

Her shoulders sagging, Vesta seemed a little bit hurt. Then she figured out a way to get him back with an evil light of a smirk on her face. "Then how'd you know how the original nursery rhyme went?"

People were beginning to enter the classroom; trickling slowly like honey off of a spoon. Only a few came in at a time. Being early to places was not a priority to most students at Lemmington. Soon Garfield would be there as well and Vesta decided she would use her green skinned friend to completely ignore Achilles pointedly.

"Because I didn't know stuff was pointless when I was a kid," Achilles mustered up, trying to look completely engrossed in his book. Don't get me wrong, he was interested, but he was still paying a lot of attention to what Vesta was doing.

Vesta pouted. Then she began to sing again, though she did it more quietly this time. "If my lips ever left my mouth, packed a bag and headed south, that'd be too bad; I'd be so sad."

Tossing a tress of shaggy black hair out of his eyes, he raised that very part of his face to look directly at Vesta's own eyes and told her the following: "Everything's pointless. Even the lips song."

"I love my lips." Her eyes were big and happy-ish.

Achilles seemed to need a double take. He looked at her, and then he relaxed. Then once more he looked at her questioningly, realizing she had said what she had and asked, "What?"

"I love my lips."

"Still pointless." The goth boy rolled his eyes.

"Shakespeare's pointless then."

This one was serious. There is just a couple things that Achilles did not like being bugged about, and one of those was theatre. "Don't mess with classic lit'."

Vesta shrugged, putting on a mischievous face and returning to the original topic. "Will my lips be pointless if –"

Their little jabber was interrupted by none other than a short, blonde girl named Emily. Oh yes. Did I neglect to mention that she also shared the same third period Spanish class? Once again I must say, "Oh yes." I must get back to how she interrupted them now.

"Have you seen Garfield?" Emily's eyes lit up a little bit when she said the name. She ignored the fact that she had interrupted their quite interesting conversation, but instead intently waited for a reply.

With a shrug, turning her whole body away from Achilles to show that she was NOT talking to him, she replied, "No. We were waiting for him, though."

Emily threw her hands above her head in mock anguish. "What is the world coming to? All I want is to have an unintelligent conversation with someone who doesn't have a brain when I'm bored out of my mind and he just refuses to show up! Why must fate be so cruel!"

"Because it doesn't like you."

Vesta gasped through a grin and jokingly slapped Achilles. "'Chilles! That's mean and bishis shouldn't be mean!"

Neither Emily nor the black haired teen had time to roll their eyes because a large voice began to belt the lyrics to another children's song, also regarding the rain to go away.

"Oh Mister Sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on me. OH Mister Sun, sun, mister golden sun, why are you hiding from me!" Garfield was dramatically making motions to the lyrics he sung tunelessly, and quickly, without even really stopping the other song, be began to sing, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make all the gray skies go away, you'll never know you yellow burning orb, how much I miss you, get your backside back here today!"

The class hooted and hollered in response to Gar's mini-concert, and he bowed majestically as if he were on a stage and all of his class-mates were his fans.

"Thank you," he said with a terrible fake accent, then he quickly found his way to his other friends; Emily, Vesta, and Achilles, who were watching him and laughing and clapping along with all the other teens. Er, at least Emily was. And Vesta was grinning but not jumping around or anything like the others. Achilles on the other hand remained with his nose in his book, not seeming to care about the world around him.

"So what's up?" He asked, pulling himself onto a plastic and metal desk beside the ones his friends inhabited.

Emily bounced around Gar, giving him random answers and giggling randomly about, well, random things, and Vesta continued to pointedly ignore her black haired bishi by watching the two of them converse good naturedly with eyes that said she was certainly only watching them and NOT looking at Achilles out of the corner of her eye.

Achilles turned a page. And eventually another.

"Good morning, class," a lady with stiletto heels and a work suit entered the room. Her face was excellently done up with makeup and she looked like she wasn't a day older than twenty-five. "If everyone would take their seats now we'll start up today's agenda with a new book."

While everyone else simply went to their desks, one guy in the back of the room raised his hand. "Miss Teacher!" he called, "Is this social studies class?"

While the teacher explained to the confused student that no, this was not social studies but an English class, and that yes, he should leave and find the correct room, Vesta turned away from her ignoring for a second or two to watch him being engrossed in his literature. She pushed down the top of the book to his lap so that the only place he could look was her face and said,

"You know what, Achilles? You are a stupid bishi."

* * *

Betty had an intense look of concentration strung on her features. She was sitting alone at the table closest to the window, and the rain constantly on it was not helping her concentration. She attempted to tune it out, but found, to her discontent, even tuning out the pitter-patter of the raindrops did not help her improve at the task at hand. The African American girl's teeth bit over her bottom lip as she slowly followed the directions the teacher dictated to herself and the class and nothing seemed to make her mess up less than she was.

"Ouch," she exclaimed quietly, moving her pointer finger into her mouth. The teacher, an old lady with a fraying face of wrinkles and a mass of short and curly silvery white hair, came immediately to her aid.

"Betty, what seems to be the problem?" the short old lady asked as a grandmother would ask her granddaughter.

With an almost embarrassed laugh, Betty put her hand behind her head and said, with a grin, "Oh it's nothing; just pricked my finger."

A flair of evil and fury sparked through the eyes of the teacher. She exploded at her teen pupil as if someone had been killed and she was a judge.

"You – you – you're complaining about a little prick of a needle!" the lady practically roared. The rest of the Home and Careers class continued to slow, most not even glancing up at the quite angry teacher, "I have had more holes in my little finger than the population of Minnesota and you're complaining about ONE?"

Betty leaned back in her chair, attempting to stay as far away from the crazy lady as possible, and tried to defend herself. "I'm not trying to complain, it was an accident-"

"I don't want excuses young lady!" she was indignant (haha… funny word…). "Go down to the principal's office right now!"

Rolling her shoulder a little bit in worry, Betty tried timidly, "Don't I need a pass?"

"Why should I care what you need? You disgrace the proud name of Franken-celery."

Betty would learn later, after picking up her books timidly and making her way to the disciplinary section of the school offices, that her teacher did that to at least one student in each class every quarter. Each for something or another; today was complaining about a pricked finger and next class it may be for doing their homework much too well. So Betty would spend the rest of the period sitting in the assistant principal's office discussing wiring techniques with the owner of that office and sipping a can of Coca-Cola.

* * *

It is strange how some students can simply blow off their classes for a multitude of periods and still continue to get excellent – nay – above average – grades in them. Maybe it was the fact that the students were already simply genius in their knowledge of the subjects they were ignoring, or maybe their teachers were just so easy on them that they didn't have to worry about what they were learning.

Whatever the cause was, Dick and Victor had seemed to have mastered it. For example, in their third period maths class they spent the entire period playing rock, paper, scissors, shoot, dare and the teacher was right nearby, telling the class to copy the notes off the dry-erase board and not saying anything other than that about the words and symbols that had been written.

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot," Vic said, and they both moved their hands into a different position. Dick was scissors, Vic was rock. With a laugh the African American continued, "Okay, I win. I dare you to write a sappy love note and throw it under the teacher's feet."

Dick chuckled, running his hand through his spiky raven-black hair. "You're on."

This was the kind of dare that Richard Grayson got a kick out of. He and Victor had begun to play this kind of game when they were much younger, long before Winter and her ridiculous, complicated Truth, Dare, Double Dare, Promise to Repeat, Asparatuckle, Fire house, Bottle games with more rules than they found fun. Rock, paper, scissors, shoot, dare, was just as simple as the original hand game; rock, paper, scissors, shoot. In fact, the only difference whatsoever between their version and the original game was that the winner of each round got to dare the loser to do something.

The letter which Dick wrote began with a very flowery introduction to a girl named Penelope who, according to the letter, was more beautiful than a cactus in the autumn time and more poetic than a social studies book. It said in the letter that she was more fun to be with than being at war, and that he was thankful for her setting his clock for him.

He signed the letter… 'Tim.'

(from Monty Python and the Holy Grail – "There are some who call me… Tim?")

Dick slaved on this letter, and both he and Vic had to constrain themselves when the man, who was probably in his thirties, who taught maths picked up the note and read it aloud to the class as to embarrass the writer out.

When he returned to the board to write, Victor and Dick resumed their game. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot," Dick whispered, and they both complied. It turned out just as bleak for the dark glasses wearing boy as it had the game before. He had, this time, picked rock, but Victor had cleverly chosen paper – a choice which won over the rock.

Dick moaned a bit exasperatedly and awaited his fate. But instead of talking at first, Vic pulled out his cell phone.

There have been some bad memories of cell phones in maths class, including one involving Kitten programming her number into Dick's phone book every day. More recently she had backed off, sitting with her other friends in an ignoring way, making a point to say that she did not want to talk to him, but he still kept his cell phone well protected when he sat in that class.

Dick's moan, this time upon seeing the phone, was a bit of a whine. But, of course, he straightened up to figure out the situation at hand.

"So what do I have to do?" he asked. Victor handed him the phone. Looking at the screen, though, Dick could see that one name was highlighted in his phone book.

That name was "Speedy."

An eyebrow of his rose questioningly, so Victor whispered his directions to Dick.

Dick questioned the dare in his mind for a second, then another, but soon decided to not even bother asking aloud – he would not get an answer. Instead he used his thumb to type out the first of many messages anonymously to Speedy that Victor had instructed him to send.

"Spedy  
i dont like daffodils."

* * *

"Well I was going to begin our first actual unit today," The theatrical director and teacher, a nice tall man with a short trimmed beard, "But we don't have enough time and tomorrow you're going on that field trip…"

He droned off, staring away into space, and Raven, Kori, Winter, and Rayne all looked in at each other in confusion. They weren't the only ones. Nearly every other teen in the class (not including those not paying attention) was doing the same, whispering questions about his statement to each other and simply becoming more confused as a whole.

"Er," one girl near the front of the classroom asked at the same time as raising her hand. When the teacher saw her and nodded consent to her speaking she went on, "We're going on a field trip?"

"Didn't you know?" he asked, confused. The whole of the class's blank stares and shaking of their heads seemed to give him a good answer so he went on, "Well since you don't know then there's all the more reason that we can't start a new unit. I have to tell you about the trip!"

Most of the teens in the classroom – more girls than boys I must say – leaned forward a little bit and excitedly listened to what he had to say.

"It's gonna be great," he exclaimed. Man, he really was a good actor, "You guys are gonna go to the Planetarium a few miles from here and you'll get to learn about constellations…"

He continued, but Raven leaned back and yawned, ignoring everything he was saying. She murmured to Kori, who sat beside her, "I'm not going."

Stifling a gasp, Kori looked at her violet haired friend, and, just as convincingly as the teacher had, exclaimed, "But why not, my friend?"

"Because," she said blandly and monotonously, "Planetariums are in dire need of a better school program. They are much more interesting when you go by yourself. When you go with a class it's just not worth it."

Winter and Rayne, with confused looks on their faces, leaned over to Kori. "What is she blabbering on about?" Winter complained, looking at her roommate with an exasperated expression in her eyes.

"She does not wish to go on the trip of the field!" Kori explained earnestly. Raven could still hear them, in fact she was listening quite clearly and waiting for an opening in the conversation but did not say anything. Winter and Rayne did not seem too worried about Raven not being interested but the redhead seemed quite distressed that her friend did not want to accompany them.

"But Raven," she began sincerely, "I know that you do not enjoy venturing with us often, but think of the joy you will find with looking at projections of the night sky – and when it is really daytime as well!"

"Yippee," Raven stated.

"Come on, Kor'," Rayne comforted her, "Raven just doesn't want to go, it will be fine. She'll find a way to… amuse herself when we're not around."

The two author's created characters in this story exchanged a meaningful smile, both thinking in their mind something that involved a teen with a slightly green hue, and then turned back to Kori, who was not quite as sure.

She was going back to her original, more direct approach. "But Raven," she whined.

Raven put a finger to her lips, signaling that the teacher was about finished with his speech about the great field trip that the students would be undertaking, and when he began to allow the asking of questions to him about the trip she replied, "Because, Kori, I don't want to go."

With a "Hmph," Kori turned her gaze to the front of the classroom and folded her hands on the desk in front of her.

Rayne turned to Raven. "I have a feeling that she'll get over it."

Kori flipped her hair in annoyance. "Hmph!"

* * *

1. What is your favourite word? (The one you find to be most cool looking/interesting)

-- Ni. Nufu.

2. Would you consider me immature?

-- Truly and truly. For the most part, that is. But who's to say?

3. Why could Rayne not appear on the intermission (in the previous chapter)?

-- 'Cause she was in Seattle.

* * *

-**note**- Erm… There is not much to say. I actually updated; that's always a good thing. Especially in the depression times when I decide to discontinue this strange fic… Sorry i don'thave time to do reviewrepliesright now - I have togo call my friend back who I said that I would call but I haven't... heh heh heh...Well the next update is on **July 28**. Talk to you all then! And I really will try to update on time this time!

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Eighteen"  
This is the one we've all been waiting for. You know you have, you just don't know it yet. Because I'm going to leave it as a surprise. You'll all like it though. I hope.


	21. Eighteen

-**note**- guess what. It's Wednesday night and I'm JUST STARTING this chapter. Okay, so I've been this behind before, but you don't understand quite my dilemma. I've been babysitting every day this week from 9 in the morning till 4 30 or 5 in the afternoon and every night (except tonight) I've had play practice from 7 till 11 (including driving time). Today I just didn't get home until 8 ish. Savvy? Twas a fun time, but I did not get much work done, as you can tell by the opening statement of this note. Anyways… Hope you enjoy!

-**note**- sorry, once again, for ANOTHER late chapter. Dude I am slipping. It's a long story, which can be mostly found in the above paragraph, and I'm not going to bother telling it again. Erm… yeah!

-**dedication**- Mhmm! This chapter I dedicate thee to Monkey-Fish the Great. Because she guessed exactly what I was trying to say in last chapter's sneaky peaky… thing… Anyways, here we have it 'cause it's 11:17 PM and I want to get the typing of this chapter over with!

-**warning**- if any reader of this story fits the description of a prep or nonconformist, is friends with or loves a prep or nonconformist, or just doesn't care for stereotyping, please do not take offense. I have small parts of this story at which point I have and will make multiple jokes about many different stereotypes but I myself don't care too much for them. Please don't take any offences of them. Oh yes. And there is fluff involved!

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

"_And who might you be?" John asked the small blonde sitting next to Winter. She looked to be about six years old and on her lap was another girl – most likely a younger sister – who looked to be about three. When the waiter asked her this question, she stuck her nose up in the air and ignored him, so he returned the question to the third girl, who seemed to be a girl in between the other's ages.  
_"_Then you?" he asked, referring to the also blonde girl sitting on the other side of Winter. That girl turned and busied her face in Winter's arm, hiding from the question.  
_"_She's Molly," Winter indicated, talking about the last girl he had asked, "And she's Gracie, and she's Isabel."  
__Grace was the first girl he had asked and Isabel was the one who seemed to be the youngest sister.  
__Isabel looked up with a wide, serious expression on her face and whined, "No."  
_"_Why not?" the blonde and red haired teen asked the youngest girl.  
_"_Because!" she returned forcefully, pouting now.  
__Winter sighed, looking at the three girls beside her, wondering what on earth she was going to do with them.  
_"_Well then," she said, "I guess I'll have two fruit roll ups, two chocolate milks, two bottoms of a hot dog roll with ketchup in between to make a sandwich, and iced tea, and one –"  
_"_Water?" John said expectantly, jotting it all down. "Coming right up."  
__He had turned to leave and fill the order when Winter stopped him.  
_"_Hey John," she called. She eyed the girls and went on, "Make that a double. I need all the energy I can get."_

There are some people in this world who are just not the same style as you are. There are also those who chose to not live with the differences that cause these styles to be different, and instead of accepting the differences they decide that they will have absolutely nothing to do with them or their styles.

Those people are called nonconformists.

As any other clique, there are many levels to this type of person. Some are simply against conformity of any type, but others go to the complete extreme of doing everything in their God-given power to not do what those other people are doing. Some do it without thinking; they simply are different than the conformity people by nature, but others do it quite consciously and religiously.

For example, Achilles is one guy who does many things in his power to escape from the horrors that are "being the same." Everything that someone else is doing is basically pointless, and if you are not completely your own individual than you are messed up or something. But on the other hand, Raven simply is who she is. Granted, she does think of what she is putting on in the morning and enjoys her style, but she does not do it with the sole purpose of not being the same as the other people closing in around her as she shuffles down the aisles at school; she actually likes what she wears.

That does not go to say that conformity is a favoured practice in her eyes, though.

As it was soggy and thoroughly not deliciously sunny outdoors on the campus of Harrisfield Boarding school, most students, except the occasional wacko, namely known as Rayne, Winter, and sometimes another, who decided that the rain was just as scrumptious as the indoors and took the time to dance in it, took the liberty of spending as much of their time inside as possible. The halls crowded into a splosh of human (and inhuman) bodies and the dorm living rooms were bursting to their seams so terribly that nearly anyone with a brain was thinking very seriously of going to their assigned dorm rooms for a bit of peace, and even in people's own sanctuary that was their room, peace seemed to hold little meaning, or at least one of importance.

Seeing how much space all of the students were taking up really made the point show that most of the teens attending the school spent a great deal of their time outdoors.

A figure with a purple hood hiding her features did her best to weave through the madness which was the halls of her dorm room without being accosted by others she did not even know, thinking she was someone else, so she sped up and aimed for her doorway.

"Winter," she murmured threateningly to no one in particular, "If you have people in there I am going to kill you."

Raven was referring to their dorm room, of course, and was genuinely relieved when she opened the hard wood door to their room to find it completely deserted. All she'd wanted was a little bit of peace and quiet away from the hoard of teenagers rushing this way and that who couldn't seem to figure out where the hell they were actually going, and it seemed that she would actually get it.

With a huge sigh of relief, the violet haired girl sat on the edge of her bed and crossed her legs in Indian style. She closed her eyes and relieved herself of as much negative energy she could with the simple relaxation technique – not quite meditation but close enough that she could completely escape for at least a few moments – but that was about as far as she got in her luck.

The shouting laughter was coming closer into her senses. What she had been drowning out was now invading her personal quiet time and it quite irked her. She opened her eyes with a small amount of fury beginning to form behind her irises and dangerously aimed them at the door, almost daring someone to open it with that revolting laughter still ensuing.

I nearly regret to say now that I have neglected to mention that Raven seemed to be having quite a miserable day. Rain did not suit her, however its dreary seeming outlook was sometimes compared to her moods, and the rest of the day had seemed to have been on a steady decline after that.

The door opened, and the laughter flowed in.

The evil eye glare which had previously been focused on the door now transferred itself to the girls entering; namely Rayne and Winter. The two of them were laughing quite loudly.

"Hello, Winter," Raven growled, her tone pretending to be calm but it really was annoyed inside.

Both Rayne and Winter grinned at their purple haired friend, ignoring her almost completely unhidden anger directed at them. Instead of seeming worried even a bit, Winter walked to the desk, picked up her notebook and began to randomly write, and Rayne sat down on Winter's bed beside Raven's.

"Hi!" Rayne replied, quite chipper as the morning breeze, "How're you?"

The sarcasm in Raven's reply was no less than expected. "Fabulous. I just love having my personal space invaded by every random passerby."

With a shrug of sympathy, Rayne, understanding that Raven would prefer to be alone, said, "I know what you mean. There're too many people inside when it rains. That's why me and Winter were outside!"

The redhead was beginning to be bubbly again, so Raven sent her a serious glare that told her to settle down immediately. Living with the hyper Winter and being friends with those like Garfield, the purple haired girl had mastered that look down to an art and it sent its message without fail.

Rayne grinned, a bit embarrassed, and began again, "Well if you don't like how there's so many people here then why don't you go over to Lemmington? Their school gets fewer kids when it rains instead of more, so you'd be fine."

The psychology of students at Lemmington School is a bit more abnormal and complex than that of a normal teenager. Or it may be that they are the normal ones and everyone else is just simply strange, but who am I to tell? Instead of crowding into the hallways and dorm rooms of their friends when the weather is not nice enough to stroll in, they usually disappear into the far reaches of the campus and town, somehow possibly thinking that if they go away the rain will also leave. Telling Raven that she should go there was actually a very good idea; the area there would be much more likely to have the peace and quiet that she wanted.

Raven raised an eyebrow, unfolding her legs lazily from their crossed position and stepped onto the floor. She still had her shoes on from being in the hall so she didn't have to worry about that, but if she was going to go off campus she was going to need more protection from the rain. "I'll see you later then," she murmured monotonously as she searched the room for an umbrella. She refused in her mind to step foot outside without one, what with the entire horrible downpour, and searched the room for the umbrella to keep her dry.

Winter, who's eyes strayed from the pages of her notebook, and Rayne, both watched Raven search the room with a bit of bewilderment in their eyes. If she said she was going, why was she still walking around the room looking?

"Um," Winter began, "What are you looking for?"

"An umbrella."

The line itself, out of anyone's mouth, would have been at least slightly humourous. But coming out of one's mouth such as Raven's, who one would not have even thought that would contain a word such as umbrella in her vocabulary, it is just plain hilarious.

So, of course, Winter and Rayne laughed.

Rolling her purple eyes, Raven continued to search. Within a few moments, after the last of the sighs of contentment had commenced from the other two teens' mouths, Winter stood up and walked to her wardrobe. She rummaged through the contents of a few drawers at first, but soon brought her hand up from those depths and exclaimed, "Aha!"

In her hand was something pink. There was black in it, but it was mostly pink.

The blonde and red headed girl handed it to her roommate with an almost embarrassed expression on her face, making sure to tell her that, "No, I didn't choose it, my mum did."

Raven didn't seem to care that it was not Winter's – that girl had some weird stuff anyway that she didn't say anything about – but she did care about its excessive pinkness and the fact that she could never ever never be expected to show her face in public with something that fluorescent.

"No thank you," she said, not surprised at all that Winter had owned something like that.

"But Raven," Winter whined while Rayne just kind of looked on, "There aren't any more."

Raven brushed the comment away in her mind, continuing to search through her own drawers, under beds, in the refrigerator, for the umbrella which she prayed would not be pink, would keep her dry, and, by the way, did I mention that she did not want it to be pink?

Rayne took the umbrella from Winter's outstretched hand and walked over to the roaming Raven. "Here," she said, thrusting it at the other girl, "Use it. Just keep your hood up and don't talk to anyone. No one will notice at all."

After a few moments of staring at each other's eyes, both looking at the other with strong will behind them, Rayne won and Raven held her hand up, open to receive the pink thing – the forcefield used to prevent rain from touching her. She then pulled up her purple hood further over her eyes so that her face was as hidden as possible, and, nodding her head to her roommate and Rayne, she exited the room.

"Well that was fast," Winter commented once Raven was gone, "What did you do?"

Rayne put on a face of supreme knowledge. "I told her that if she didn't take it that Garfield would fall in love with some skinny-bitch-prep who was really into rocks and –"

"You two stared at each other. There was no speaking involved," Winter said, interrupting.

Once again, Rayne pretended with her superiority. "Ah, but you forget that I can send telekinetic messages through my brain."

All Winter could do was groan.

While the two girls still sitting in Winter and Raven's dorm room spent a grand time fighting over whether or not Raven had heard Rayne's silent head beamed message, the very purple haired girl was sneaking through the halls, twisting through people with as much skill as possible, towards the outdoors. She his the pink umbrella in the front pocket of her purple hoodie; it folded up small enough to fit inside it, and before she realized what was happening she was by the front door of the dormitory hall and had to choose – would she wimp out and sacrifice her much wanted peace because of a pink umbrella or would she brave it and just pretend that she wasn't who she really was.

Raven chose the brave one.

Nervously tugging at the brim of her hood to make sure that it was adequately covering her facial features, Raven pulled out the umbrella, opened it, and ducked under the push open glass door.

She was slouched while she walked, speeding up almost every time she heard a sound that could relate even a little bit to one of her friends or one of her enemies. If anyone knew that she was carrying something bright and pink around she would be dead – no one would obey her evil stare ever again – it would be hell on earth!

Suddenly she remembered that she had not told Winter, nor had she told Rayne, not to tell anyone that she was going somewhere with this piece of weather equipment. Raven searched her pockets for her cell phone to call them and let them know what she was thinking – that if anyone found out that the two of them would be the ones to pay – but could not find it anywhere. She seriously considered going back to tell them and to get her phone but when she looked at the road ahead of her she realized that she was already off campus and it would be too much of a pain to return.

"Hey Rebecca!" A female voice called from behind her. At first she jumped, thinking that someone was calling her, but after a moment she realized that the person was speaking to someone else so she continued walking, but not until after she had once again fixed her hood over her eyes.

"Rebecca, wait up!" This time it was a different voice, but coming from the same direction. Suddenly Raven, who had begun to tune those voices out, found herself with two girls walking on her right and one on her left, all talking to her at once.

"It took us forever to find you," the one who had spoken first said.

"And just now we weren't even sure if it was you when you didn't answer."

"Is that a new umbrella? Did you go shopping!"

Raven had been planning to simply ignore the girls, who seemed to be about her age, until they just realized that she was the wrong girl, but she looked up now to see them and found that she was in deeper trouble than she had thought.

Beside her, wearing various shades of orange, pink, red, and yellow; this year's autumn colours, topped with blonde and brown hair, were three preps, and they thought that Raven was one of them.

Underneath her hood, Raven's eyes went wide. She would have hyperventilated, had her calm exterior allowed her to, but instead she found herself doing one of the few things she really enjoyed; acting.

In a voice a little bit less monotonous than it normally was Raven replied, "No, I borrowed it from my friend."

The other girls also held umbrellas of their own, though they matched; all of them were clear. The rain began to slant now, and Raven was getting soaked. She sped up her pace so that she would get to the school faster.

While the girls matched her pace, Prep 3, who had made the comment about Raven's umbrella, replied to the darker girl's comment. Her voice was continually perky. "Oooooh! Was it Jimena? That looks like the kind of thing she would recommend!"

"Erm… no?" Raven, who was now being thought of as Rebecca by these other girls, said, trying to come up with a story that the others, who were waiting for more of a reply intently, would buy, "I, uh, didn't know it was raining and when I went outside I… didn't have anything so this… guy came and gave it to me."

There was a collective 'awww' coming from the three girls as they all clutched their hands to their hearts which were steadily getting wetter from the rain which continued to pour and Prep 1 spoke to Raven.

"Well that's good. Guys who know to give you stuff are too hard to come by nowadays. And a guy who would have a PINK umbrella – it takes a real man to wear pink."

Prep 2 agreed. "Guys look hot in pink. I don't know when they'll learn that."

"And a guy who'd give up their pink –" Prep 1 went on, prompting their discussion.

All three of them (obviously not including Raven) went on to say, "Is so totally worth it!"

"God, girl, did you even get this guy's name? 'Cause you should totally lose Ben if you did, he is like so much better than that dumb slob who you've been with."

Raven did not answer. Nor did the girl who they had thought that she was; the notorious Rebecca. The reason for this lack of reply was the fact that she had taken the first opportunity that she could to escape from the three girls. She was currently entering the campus of Lemmington school, watching her back and making sure that none of the preps were following her onto the grounds, and wondering what the heck had just happened.

When you are spoken to by someone you do not know, you may feel a bit awkward. When you are mistaken for another person, especially when you do not discourage this mistakenness, it may also feel more awkward. But this awkwardness does not often settle in completely until after the fact, when you are walking around the campus of your friends' school in the rain and you still feel dazed.

This was how Raven was feeling; dazed and a little bit confused, and felt just as weirded out as she had been when the strange girls walked up to her when Emily jogged up to her. The short blonde was without an umbrella or a raincoat and instead was simply wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants, jogging in place.

It took a double take for Emily to realize that this truly was Raven and not some random passerby in Raven clothing, but when she did completely understand the other girl's identity she just stared, a blank look on her face which clearly expected an answer to the unasked question.

She waited, watching Raven's face which was mostly hidden behind her hood, and waited some more.

And she continued to wait, because Raven did not offer any answers.

So Emily tried actually asking.

"So… what's the deal with the umbrella?" she asked with a quirky smile on her face. Raven, in response, rolled her eyes and continued to walk toward the buildings that made up Lemmington School. Emily shrugged, chuckling, and continued on her run.

Lemmington School not only had fewer students around when it was raining; it also had fewer students in general. Its campus was considerably smaller than that of the one at Harrisfield, and fewer buildings dotted the area. There was only one dormitory both for boys and girls (though of course it was internally segregated) so Raven did not even have to remember what building to go to in order to find one of her friends.

The door was, of course, unlocked, and, instead of the thick glass doors that they had at Harrisfield, tall wooden ones that almost looked medieval were what were used to enter the premises.

As soon as she had opened that door and closed it behind her, Raven closed the bright pink umbrella as quickly as possible and, shaking it off briefly on the linoleum floor below her, hid it once again in the front pocket of her hoodie.

By mere habit, if nothing else, Raven headed up the stairs to the guys' part of the house. She herself had never even been in Vesta and Emily's dorm room, so the only logical place for her to go was up to where she actually knew where people resided.

True as their predictions had been, the halls were empty as a graveyard at night. The only residents were sparse and mostly by themselves; walking to the bathroom or slipping over to a friend's room to return a cd they had borrowed at another time. Raven was already much more relaxed now than she had been nearly all day.

Passing Achilles' room, she thought of entering that one but realized afterward that it would be too awkward and she did not feel like discussing doom and gloom or listening to the worst recordings of obscure musicals with lacking plots and bad acting. The rain had dampened her room quite enough for one day and she felt that she didn't need a put down any more than absolutely necessary.

Not really thinking, though, Raven went straight to Garfield's room. It had always been the first place that everyone went when they hung out at Harrisfield (of course that is unless they were with Vesta in which case they would most likely head immediately towards Achilles dorm). She didn't even think about it when she knocked on the door and answered "Raven," monotonously when her green friend called "Who is it?" from the inside.

The door opened quickly, after scrambling was heard on the carpet; he had probably tripped over the couch or something once again, being the poor pitiful fool that Raven often called him.

A turning of a lock could be heard and Gar appeared where the door had been, a huge smile on his face. It fell quickly, though, when he saw her condition, turning to a look of concern.

"Dude, you're soaking wet!" he exclaimed, looking the, just had he had said, wet teen over, just to make sure that his eyes were not deceiving him.

Raven's eyes went up into the back of her head in sarcasm. "No," she said blandly, "It's the stage makeup."

The violet haired girl lightly pushed past Gar, pulling down her hood as she entered his room, and shook out her hair with her hand. Gar seemed to snap out of a daze at that moment, because he suddenly bounded himself to the other side of the room to find her a towel to dry herself off with.

She accepted it gratefully and the two of them sat down on his couch, watching Anchor Man, which, apparently, was what the young teen had been watching before Raven arrived.

"Oh joy," Raven pointed out, "Plastic and recording and millions of dollars wasted on a pointless manuscript."

Gar reprimanded her for such a terrible and heretic comment, "Rae, if you're gonna start talking about pointless stuff you should go talk to Achilles. But you must appreciate the importance of comedy if you're going to chill with me."

He was half joking, and Raven knew this, but she played along anyway. "Oh I appreciate comedy. Kevin Ludwig is a comedic writer, but, fortunately, he wrote with plots."

With a 'pft,' in Raven's general direction, Gar returned to watching the movie. A man on a motorcycle was now throwing a dog over the edge of a bridge and the teen just had to cry out in protest to it.

"It's not the fricken dog's fault! Throw the dude over instead! That dog didn't do anything to you?"

Raven sighed. "How many times have you seen this movie?"

Proudly, Garfield exclaimed, "43 and a half!"

"Read a book," she threw at him, rubbing her arms as she suddenly felt cold.

Garfield noticed this action, however, and turned to her. "Hey, you cold?" he asked. Without even waiting for a reply, though, he kneeled on the floor at her feet and took over her action of rubbing her arms. After doing so he stood up, pulled a fleece blanket off the edge of his bed, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She was silent throughout the whole movement and her face had barely changed when he looked up at her again.

Barely, but there was a difference there. In her eyes she had a little twinge of gratitude trying to escape from the depths of her monotonous décor that was her face, and, though it was miniscule, Garfield saw it. You notice little things like this about your friends, and, though he said nothing about it, this time was no exception.

"So, Rae…" Gar began.

The person being spoken to interrupted him. "My name is Raven. Not Rae, Ravie, Rae-Rae, Sunshine, or Bubbles; Raven."

This comment made the corners of the green tinged teen's mouth perk up in a bit of delight. Raven quirked an eyebrow as if to ask, 'What?' and he continued on to say, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Raven's response to this question was immediate. "I'm faking sick."

"No, what are you really doing tomorrow?" Gar whined, not quite believing that one of the star students at Harrisfield would ever skip any classes.

"I'm calling the school nurse and telling her I'm sick. The school's going on a ridiculous field trip and I refuse to degrade myself."

"I thought you valued knowledge, though," Garfield commented, pretending to be smart by using as many big words as he could think of on the spot.

"Oh I do," Raven said, her monotony slipping for just a second when she said that, "I just despise going to planetariums with schools."

Gar, looking away from her for a moment, listened to the track on the television. They were talking about love – something terribly corny and ridiculous – and it had been broken up humourously with comments like 'I love lamp,' and 'I love desk.' He released the air from his lungs in a sigh, looking back up at Raven who was now watching the movie once again, and tried to not make a fool out of himself.

"So, if you're not gonna be in school tomorrow," he started, "Why don't we hang out? We can go into town and throw some pranks."

His voice was so hopeful. The prank part Raven had a sure idea about it being a joke, but he really wanted to do something tomorrow. Maybe the bores of school were getting to him.

"I suppose we could sit on a bench and throw small objects at random passerby for amusement," Raven shrugged. The look on Garfield's face was priceless and she saw it out of the corner of her eye – even though it was a bit dim in his room she could practically see stars in his eyes. Just to make sure, though, she went on, "But no circuses, no tofu, no actual pranks, no pointless comedies, and no caffeine for you."

Gar didn't seem to care about Raven's terms – she had agreed to actually hang out with him. This was a breakthrough in itself. He threw his arms around her neck in a big, glomp style hug and only released her when she could no longer breathe. (of course this is an exaggeration. He more or less just waited until she threateningly said his name.)

Raven stretched, seemingly getting ready to stand up, and said, "Nine o'clock tomorrow morning good? I'll meet you at the coffee shop on 51st street. (yes, that was just a random street.)"

"I have to get up that early?" Garfield was complaining again.

Raven gave him a fake glare. "Yes. Savvy?"

"Aye-aye, Cap'n!" Garfield was joking around and mock saluted Raven grandly.

"Do you even know what that means?" Raven asked with a skeptical look on her features which were finally almost dry.

"Nope." The fool still had a huge goofy smile plastered on his face. "Where you goin'?"

Raven shrugged, drying her hair off once more with the towel before folding it briefly and tossing it in the overflowing laundry basket by Gar's bed. "I should be heading home – I'll be missed if I'm any later."

Little did she know that too much was going on back at the Harrisfield dorms to miss much of anybody.

* * *

-**note**- Yes, I did my very best. Tell me what you thought! I love to get reviews, as you know, and all these review replies are for this past chapter and also chapter sixteen because I didn't get a chance to answer them in the last chapter.

**TTHPfan**:stares in bewilderment: You know, I honestly think that you would be like one of my best friends if I knew you in real life. I swear that you are so much like me and my friends that it's almost scary. But in a good way. :-d I'm glad that you're glad that I dedicated the chapter to you. Actually I was going to have a totally different chapter but then I changed it because, well, that's who I am. Last minute and crazygonuts. Du-o-o-ude! I LURV Monty Python and the Holy Grail. And I'm glad you appreciated that little odd piece of humour from everyone's favourite British comedy in there. And also about the Veggie tales – I LOVE VEGGIE TALES! I have decided to get a tattoo of Larry the Cucumber with a couple of my friends when I turn 18. If you've seen the cover of the Ultimate Silly song Countdown – that's the picture I want. Anyways, I'm going to get back to writing now. I took a break from writing the chapter (I'm up to 1 and a half pages at really small font! Now if I can just hit seven or eight… or fourteen… lol) to write this so now I shall stop sprouting my theories that I have yet to sprout about how you and your friends are the alternate universe form of my friends and I and… erm… yeah! Well I'm really going to stop now. Now.

**Tidus'luvr**: Well there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is that I updated and now BB and Rae are kinda fluffy, but the bad news is I'm going to have to wait till either the next chapter or a future chapter to put in your "So Achilles, why's your room pink?" line in. It just didn't fit with this one – it was totally rae and bb like all the way. So We'll just have to wait till later to stick that in. it'll probably be the next chapter but I don't know yet. So call me when you get home. KK? Tell me all about the hot bishis you met at camp who shall replace Achilles! Lol. As if any REAL guy could replace Achilles. See ya!

**xBxMYxJAMESxDEANxcandyclouds**: I think you changed this screen name… didn't you? Well anyways, I know that you're grounded and probably won't be able to read this for a while, but when you do, well, hi! Katie and I called Shnookies and left him I think six or seven messages to the entire length that we were allowed to and they were so weird that I had to stop or else I would fall over from laughing. Well I'm taking up a lot of space with a lot of review replies so I am going to just move on to other peoples' replies. Call me when you read this. Or after. Or something like that – just call me when you get ungrounded. :-d

**Golden-Sama**: It seems like you have been feeling the head just the same as the rest of us have. Or at least you're reacting to it. When it's yucky and summery outside then you feel ucky and summery and you don't wish to do anything. Well I don't either. I actually finished this chapter, though. I spend Wednesday night planning it and I wrote it Thursday and today, and I think that I'm getting better at writing. Or maybe this was just a better planned chapter than the rest. Well either way, I finally updated and maybe I'll be on time next week. I'm really trying with that, though; to update on time. Summer sucks and makes you lazy…. Heh heh heh. So now you must update your story soon. :-d Because I feel deprived, once again, of your stories. Maybe that's just 'cause I have so much time on my hands, but yeah. I'll talk to you soon.

**Pickles12**: Yay! You love Veggie Tales too? I LURV it a lot. lol. So I'm sorry I updated late. Again. I hope that it was worth the wait :-/ I've just had a really totally hectic week... Wells I hope you like the new chappy!

**Monkey-Fish the Great**: lol... You were the closest person to what was happening in this chapter as anybody. Well, except my friend, the girl who Vesta's based on but that's because I told her a really long time ago what was going to happen in just about every chapter (or at least to some extent).

**Valecia92**: I'm really glad you like the story so far - I hope you continue to read it as well! I also hope you liked this little bbrae edition - much better than the last filler chapter I stuck in. :-p Hope to see you around and thanks for the review!

**Rose**: Hi! It feels like it's been so loooong since I've seen you around! Well thanks for the review - sensei is a great and random word... :-d

**Queen-of-Azarath**: Oh yes, did you like the Half Blood Prince? I got it out from the library and I read... er.. the first two pages of it so far. It's been sitting on my amp underneath my journal and pen, awaiting me to finish my ridiculously long book list (or at least a little of it) before i get around to it. Normally I like Harry Potter books but this time I'm just not too excited... prolly because of the whole GinnyHarry thing... uckles. Spork! Yay! Foon! Okay, so that wasn't what you said but whenever someone says spork I always say foon to piss them off :-p. Thank you darling, I always love to hear that my writing is improving. It's either the fact that I have more time to focus, I have been reading better books with better grammar recently, or, maybe I am improving and I'm just too hyper to admit it. :-d Thanks for the advice!

**scathac's warrior**: snog! Have you ever read "angus, thongs and full frontal snogging" or any other ones of the georgia nicholson books? They are awesome if you haven't. I just got the recent one yesterday, even though it's been out for ages... i remember looking online like at the beginning of the last school year (on the british version of amazon) and finding the new book and being oober excited for it to come out in the US but it took me forever to get a hold of it. Wells I hope to see you around soon and I hope you liked this chapter. There shall be more mushy between Gar and Rae in future chapters:-d

* * *

Sneaky Peaky: "Chapter Ninteen"  
So what was the group doing that would make Raven be less missed? Well it was something movie-esque, I'll tell you that much. The rest of the information is such that I cannot disclose momentarily so you'll just have to wait till next week's update, now won't you? 


End file.
